Nazeli Mikayelyan

Karine Balayan

EXPLORING BRITAIN AND THE BRITISH

For Ani and Bella,

our sweetest granddaughters

EXPLORING BRITAIN AND THE BRITISH

Contents
Unit 1

Geography: The British Isles <> Landscape <> Lakes and Rivers <>
Climate <> Population <> Environment and Pollution

Unit 2

History: Prehistory <> The Roman Period (43-410) <> The Germanic
Invasions (410-1066) <> The Medieval Period (1066-1485) <> The Tudor
Dynasty (1485-1603) <> The Stuart Period (1603-1714) <> The XVIII century
<> The XIX century: Queen Victoria and Victorian England <> The XX
century <> The XXI century

Unit 3

National Identity: The Four Nations <> Language <> The Dominance of
England <> Multiracial Britain <> National Symbols <> Stereotypes of
National Character <> Attitudes and Membership

Unit 4

Religion: Historical Glimpse <> A Tale of Canterbury <> The Lords

Prayer

Unit 5

Political Life: British Politics <> The Legislature <> The Executive <> The
Judiciary

Unit 6

Monarchy and Royalty: Monarchy <> Heir Apparent versus Heir

Presumptive <> 2011 Proposals to Change the Rules of Royal Succession in
the Commonwealth Realms <> Royalty <> Queen Mother <> Queen
Elizabeth II <> Prince Philip Mountbatten <> Prince Charles <> Princess
Diana <> Prince William and Prince Henry

Unit 7

Capital Cities and Towns: London <> The City <> Westminster <> The
West End <> The East End <> Edinburgh <> Cardiff <> Belfast <>
Birmingham <> Manchester <> Bath <> Stratford-upon-Avon <> Glasgow
<> Hay-on-Wye <> Enniskillen

Unit 8

Patchwork of British Life: Family Life <> Housing <> Food and Drink <>
Buying and Selling <> Education <> The Arts <> Sport

Introduction
Exploring Britain and the British is for upper-intermediate level (B2) learners of English
who need to expand their area-study knowledge of Britain, and use English in their studies or
work in a wide range of specialties: International Relations, Political Science, Media, Area
Study, Social Service, Tourism Industry and others. The course can be used in the classroom or
for self-study.
Exploring Britain and the British is designed to improve the communication skills and
specialist language knowledge of students and professionals, enabling them to work more
confidently and effectively. The eight standalone units cover topics related to the geography,
history, national identity, religion, monarchy, political and social life in the United Kingdom
including family life and housing, education, arts and festivals, food and drink, sport.
To give the learners as much practice as possible, each of the units contains elements that the
authors believe are essential to a good textbook:

Pre-Reading, introducing word bank of both familiar and unfamiliar words; and
previewing what is coming so that the readers get a clear idea about the section and can
make predictions;
Reading, covering the main topic of the unit under different headings and subheadings;
Post-Reading, including activities based on specialized terms and reading
comprehension tasks so that the learners can reinforce and retain what has been taught;
Translate into English, motivating the learners to communicate the message of the
source language;
Extra Exploration, offering additional practice through lexical and grammatical
extension activities via area-study texts and articles;
Food for Thought and Talk, comprising speaking activities that give plenty of practice
of the language via discussions and brainstorming by drawing parallels between the UK
and their own country;
Food for Writing, highlighting writing skills and practice the learners may need in
essay-, letter-, summary-writing etc supported with thought-provoking and challenging
activities;
Snap before Nap, engaging topics and articles which ensure that learning is interesting
and motivating;
Rendering, offering extracts from Watching the English by Kate Fox, an
anthropologist, who spent twelve years researching various aspects of English culture in
order to try to discover the defining characteristics of Englishness.

Throughout the book the page layout is designed in a way the authors believe makes the reading
easier and more involving. The text is supported by pictures and tables that follow less-is-more
rule: they dont crowd the page or overwhelm the student with too much textual or visual
information.
We hope you enjoy using the course. If you have any comments on Exploring Britain and the
British, wed love to hear them. Do not hesitate to email us at:
nazela@rambler.ru
scorpio55@rambler.ru

Nazeli

Karine

Nazeli Mikayelyan, assistant professor at

Russian-Armenian University,
Yerevan, Armenia, candidate of philology

Karine Balayan, senior tutor at

Russian-Armenian University,
Yerevan, Armenia

Thanks and Acknowledgements

Our great appreciation goes to Svetlana Toumanyan who conceived the idea of publishing this
book and motivated us to compile it.
We would like to extend our special gratitude to Nune Tovmassyan for her dedicated editorial
work in reviewing the material prior to publication.
Thanks in particular go to Astghik Chubaryan and Gayane Yeghiazaryan for writing unbiased
references.
Many thanks are due to our personal proofreader Margarita Mikayelyan for her unfailing hard
work and a watchful eye.
We wish to acknowledge the comments and encouragement we have received from many
colleagues who have tested this book in their classrooms.
We would also like to thank the students we have worked with over the years for sharing their
insights and perception of the UK with us. Special thanks to Media students for contributing
creative ideas to design the Patchwork cover of Exploring Britain and the British.
And last but not least, a big thank you goes to our families for patience and understanding.

Unit 1

Geography

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. average temperature
2. climate (n) ; mild climate ; changeability of the climate
e.g. The climate of the district is mild with few extremes.
3. coast (n) ; on the coast ( ); off the coast
( ) e.g. I lived in a small village on the coast. It was a small island
off the coast. coastal (adj) , ; coastal waters
4. freeze (v) ; Ant. melt, thaw; freezing (n) ; above/below freezing
/ e.g. It was well below freezing last night. freezing (adj/adv) e.g. We were
freezing cold in that house. freezing point e.g. Alcohol has a lower freezing
point than water.
5. have a total area of e.g. The country has a total area of 2000 sq
miles.
6. latitude (n) ; longitude (n) e.g. The mainland areas lie between latitudes
49N and 59N and longitudes 8W to 2E.
7. pollution (n) ; water (air, soil, environment etc) pollution
(, , ..); to reduce pollution
; source of pollution ; pollution control (prevention)
() ; polluted (adj)
8. populate (v) ; population (n) ; in terms of population
e.g. The country ranked number one in terms of population. density of population
; populated (adj) ; densely populated
9. rise above ; fall below e.g. The temperature rose above
10C.
10. shallow waters (seas, rivers etc) (, ..); Ant. deep waters
11. varied landscapes
12. wash, be washed ()
B

Language Awareness
1. Can you give the definition of the word geography?
2. What main types of geography do you know?
3. Do you know any other English words beginning with the prefix geo-? Can you define
them?
4. Which language is the prefix geo- borrowed from?

Country or County

England is divided into administrative and geographic areas called counties. These
counties were established and the boundaries laid down by teams of men sent around the country
for that purpose at the time of Alfred the Great.
In the United Kingdom there is often confusion about the words country and county. To
make the difference clear, remember: country is the whole area; county is a small area within the
country.
In the British Isles, shire is the original term for what is usually known as a county and
remains a common part of many county names. Shires in England bearing the suffix -shire
include: Cheshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire etc.
7

Cultural Awareness

Gaia is the primal Greek goddess personifying the Earth Mother in the ancient Greek
pantheon. Her Roman equivalent is Terra.

Sadness of Gaia
The Earth Goddess looks sad, aware that our human weaknesses will mean many years of
education to prevent the ruin of our precious world.
The contents of her wings symbolize all the creatures that need protection. As always,
Gaia will be there to listen and comfort, bringing with her the rainbow of hope.
The clouds are gathering around our world but she knows she must be strong and work to
rectify mans errors, in the belief that he will one day understand that our precious Earth
deserves our protection.
Let us hope that one day soon Gaia will look upon the Earth and be satisfied that her
lessons have been learnt.
E

Looking at a Map

You may like to put down this book for a while and look for an atlas of the world. If you
look at the maps of different countries closely and use your imagination, you will see that
Armenia, for example, resembles a womans profile, Italy is a boot-shaped country, Scandinavia
looks like a tiger, while Australia bears a similarity to a sleeping bear cub.
Great Britain consists of two islands. The larger of the two, looking like Santa Claus on
his knees, is the main island of Britain and the smaller, like the shape of a lamb turned on its
side, is Ireland.
Medieval map-makers picture Europe as a young lady with Spain as her face, France as
her breast, Germany as her belly, England as her left hand and Italy as her right hand. In her right
hand she has a fan and it is the island of Sicily.

F
Many English words have terra in them borrowed from Latin meaning land.
Complete these sentences by using a terra-word: territorial, territory, terrestrial, terrace,
extraterrestrial, terraform, Mediterranean.
1. Fruit-trees such as olives, walnuts and grapes make the native vegetation of the _____ climate.
2. Emily joined the couple sitting on the _____ eating and relaxing.
3. _____ TV is broadcasting from the Earth rather than from a satellite.
4. Scientists are considering whether it would be possible to _____ Mars change the conditions
on the planet so that people can live on it.
5. The plane was flying over enemy _____.
6. The _____ Army is the military force of people in Britain who train as soldiers in their free
time.
7. People in that region often claim they are visited by _____ objects.
Reading
Britain doesnt have a climate, it only has weather
The British Isles
If we explore the islands lying off the north-west coast of Europe, we will come across
two large islands and several much smaller ones. Collectively they are called the British Isles.
The largest island is called Britain or Great Britain, which is also the largest island in Europe. It
consists of England, Scotland and Wales. The capital cities are London, Edinburgh and Cardiff
respectively. The other large one is called Ireland which is made up of Northern Ireland (Ulster)
with Belfast as its capital and the Irish Republic (Eire) with Dublin as its capital city. The
smaller islands include the Isle of Wight, Anglesey, the Scilly, the Outer and Inner Hebrides,
Orkney, Shetland, and others.
Great Britain, Northern Ireland together with a number of small islands, form the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (more commonly known as the UK) which is the
official name of the country.
There are two large states in the British Isles one governs most of Ireland and is called
the Republic of Ireland (the Republic). The other state governs the rest of the British Isles
Great Britain, Northern Ireland and most of the smaller islands. The Channel Islands and the Isle
of Man, though recognizing the Crown, have complete internal self-government including their
own Parliaments and their own tax systems. They are not officially part of the UK.
Albion and Britannia are historical and poetic names used to refer to England. Albion was
the original Roman name for Britain. It comes from the Latin word albus meaning white. When
the Romans were crossing the channel in 43 AD, the first part of England they saw was white
chalk cliffs. So they exclaimed, Albion!
Britannia is the name that the Romans gave to their southern British province. It is also
the name given to the female embodiment of Britain. The figure of Britannia has been on the
9

reverse side of many British coins for more than 300 years. She is always shown wearing a
helmet and holding a trident the symbol of power over the sea.
The UK is an island nation in Western Europe. It is 35 km (22 miles) off the northwest
coast of France, from which it is separated by the English Channel. The Channel Tunnel bored
beneath La Manche (the French name of the English Channel) now links the UK with France.
The mainland areas lie between latitudes 49N and 59N and longitudes 8W to 2E. The
Greenwich Meridian, the line of 0 longitude passes through England. Greenwich Mean Time
(GMT) or Universal Time is the time on Greenwich line used as a basis for calculating time
throughout the world.
Britain has a total area of approximately 245,000 sq km.
The British Isles are washed by four water areas: by the English Channel, which separates
it from continental Europe in the south, by the North Sea in the east and by the Atlantic Ocean in
the west. The Irish Sea lies between Ireland and Great Britain. No one in the UK lives more than
120 km (75 miles) from the sea. The seas surrounding the British Isles are everywhere very
shallow and it helps to keep the shores from extreme cold.
Landscape
The landscape of Britain is very varied. It has neither towering mountain ranges nor
impressive large rivers, plains or forests. But it does not mean that its landscape is boring. What
it lacks in grandeur it makes up for in variety. The scenery changes noticeably over quite short
distances. Scotland and Wales are the most mountainous parts of Britain. The highest mountains
in Scotland and Wales are Ben Nevis and Snowdon. A ridge of hills, the Pennines, runs down the
centre of Northern England like a spine.
Lakes and Rivers
The north-western corner of England is famous for the Lake District with its beautiful,
breathtaking scenery. The area is classified as Englands largest National Park. Northern Ireland
is home to the UKs largest lake, Lough Neagh. Other major lakes include Windermere in the
English Lake District and Loch Lomond in Scotland. Another of Scotlands lakes, Loch Ness is
famous for sightings of Nessie, a mythical monster.
There are a lot of rivers in Great Britain but they are not very long. Britains rivers
provide drinking water for towns and irrigate farmers crops. The Severn is the longest river,
beginning in Wales and entering the Atlantic Ocean near Bristol in England. Other major rivers
include the Thames, the deepest and the most important river, which flows through Oxford and
London, and the Trent and Mersey rivers which drain rainfall from large areas of central
England. Scotlands chief river is the Clyde and Irelands the Shannon.
Climate
Britains climate varies greatly according to season and location, but on the whole can be
described as mild with few extremes. Average temperatures do not rise above 32C in summer
and do not fall below10C in winter. The climate is influenced by the Gulf Stream, a warm ocean
current that washes the western coast of Britain. The popular belief that it rains all the time in
Britain is simply not true. In fact, London gets no more rain in a year than most of other
European cities. And Britains climate has got such a bad reputation because of its changeability.
There is a saying Britain doesnt have a climate, it only has weather. The lack of extremes is
the reason why, on the few occasions when it gets genuinely hot or freezing cold, the country
seems to be totally unprepared for that. A few days of snow or a few days of frost and the
trains stop working and the roads are blocked. Recently extreme weather conditions have
become more frequent so, perhaps, the British will have to get more prepared for them.
Population
With 60 million people, the UK ranks about fifteenth in the world in terms of population
most of which is concentrated in England. With 361 inhabitants per sq km, it is one of the most
densely populated countries in the world. The density of the rest of Britain is much lower: Wales
135 per sq km, Scotland 65, and Northern Ireland 111 inhabitants per sq km.
Environment and Pollution
10

It was in Britain that the word smog was first used to describe a mixture of smoke and
fog. As the worlds first industrialized country, its cities were the first to suffer this atmospheric
condition. Water pollution was also a problem. Another problem was the heating of homes with
open coal fires in city areas. But it is worth mentioning that laws were passed to combat all these
problems. However, the great increase in the use of the motor car in recent years caused an
increase in a new kind of air pollution. To combat poor air quality, a belt of undeveloped land is
kept around cities known as a green belt to reduce pollution.
The environmental disaster caused by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 resulted
in the slow-down or collapse of the Gulf Stream. And as the pathway of the Gulf Stream directly
affects weather and climate patterns over the whole hemisphere, its blocking appears to be
partially responsible for the extreme weather we witnessed in the winter of 2010-2011 and in the
summer of 2010 in Russia, Europe and elsewhere.
Post-Reading
A

Answer the questions on the text.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

What do the British Isles consist of?

What are the official names of the states on the British Isles?
What are the capital cities of England, Scotland and Wales?
What are the capital cities of Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic?
What other names do you know referring to Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic?
What is the name of the water area between Great Britain and the European continent in
English/French?
7. Which islands have internal self-government?
8. What historical and poetic names referring to England do you know?
9. What are the UKs highest mountains? Where exactly are they?
10. Which is the UKs largest/most famous lake?
11. What is typical of Great Britains rivers? Which is the UKs longest/deepest river?
12. What features describe Britains climate?
13. How can Britains population be described?
14. What kinds of pollution are characteristic of Britain?
B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. atmospheric
2. climate
3. hemisphere
4. inhabitant
5. landscape
6. latitude
7. longitude
8. mountain ridge
9. pollution
10. population density

a. the distance of a place north or south of the equator, measured in

degrees
b. the quality of a countrys people being crowded together in large
numbers
c. the distance east or west of the Greenwich meridian, measured in
degrees
d. the regular pattern of weather conditions (temperature, amount
of rain, winds etc) of a particular place
e. a half of the earth
f. the process of making something dirty by adding harmful or
unpleasant substances
g. of or relating to the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth
h. a person living in a place
i. all the natural features of an area that can be seen when looking
across it
j. a narrow area of high land along the top of a line of hills
11

Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.

1. They were known _____ as the Gang of Four. COLLECT

2. The effects of the drug were _____ in his behaviour. NOTICE
3. His first speech as president created a favourable _____ on his audience. IMPRESS
4. Would you _____ her novels as serious literature or as mere entertainment?
CLASSIFICATION
5. We usually go to France for our holidays, but this year were going to England for a _____.
CHANGEABLE
6. The development of Britain, the USA and other western nations in the XVIII and XIX
centuries is known as the _____ Revolution. INDUSTRY
7. The new legislation will affect us all _____ or _____. DIRECT
8. Tonight temperatures everywhere will be well below _____. FREEZE
9. The village has fewer than 800 _____. INHABIT
10. Following the national news we have the _____ news and weather. LOCATE
D
Fill in the blanks in the following sentences with the expressions given in the box.
You may need to make changes.
result in
separate from

in terms of
increase in

lack in
refer to

come across
make up for

home to
responsible for

1. I _____ an old school friend in Oxford Street this morning.

2. The last paragraph _____ the environmental disaster involving mass killings of birds.
3. Hard work can _____ a lack of intelligence.
4. East Siberian Taiga, a very large bio-geographic region in Russia is _____ Siberian tiger.
5. The job is great _____ salary but there are disadvantages.
6. Some _____ working hours may be necessary.
7. The incident _____ his being dismissed from his job.
8. We _____ the border guards by only 100 metres.
9. The speech at the meeting was delivered by the Minister _____ environmental issues.
10. What he _____ experience he makes up for in enthusiasm.
Translate into English
1. .
2. , ,
.
3. , :
.
4. , .
5. ,
, .
6. , ,
.
7. , ,
,
.
8. 20
35 . , e
.

12

9.
.
10. (1.3 ) . B
, , . 2683 .
Extra Exploration
A

Read the text Offshore Islands and choose the right answers below.

There are between 120 and 130 offshore islands which can be classified as part of
Englands natural geography. Some are privately owned, some are inhabited, while others are
only known to lighthouse-keepers, sailors and naturalists. The attraction of these islands is
different to different people. Ornithologists, for example, might want to study a rare seabird;
archeologists might be interested in a prehistoric or early Christian site; sociologists might study
why certain islands have been deserted or resettled.
The Isle of Wight is the largest island off the south coast. Charles I was once imprisoned
here, and there is a large prison, Parkhurst, on the island today. A lot of its attractive scenery has
formed as a result of a thick layer of chalk the white teeth of the Needles are the most famous
example. The Needles are three detached masses of chalk that lie off the islands westernmost
point and rise to the height of approximately 100 feet. There used to be four Needles; the fourth
collapsed in a storm in 1764. It takes its name from the former needle-shaped pillar called Lots
Wife. The remaining rocks are all short and not at all needle-like, but the name has stuck. In
2005, the Needles were featured in TV programme Seven Natural Wonders as one of the
wonders in Southern England. Many of the inhabitants travel daily to the mainland to work.
Those who work on the island are usually involved with the tourist industry because the island is
visited by thousands of tourists every year. A favourite activity is yachting.
The Isles of Scilly can be found 28 miles southwest of Lands End. There are between 50
and 100 islands in the group (some are just large rocks) but only six are inhabited. In early
spring, they export beautiful flowers to the mainland.
St Michaels Mount is linked to the mainland at low tide by causeway raised road
across wet ground. It was a base for the tin trade at one time and, because of its religious
connection with Mont-Saint-Michel in France, it was also a trading and migration centre from
the earliest days of Christianity.
Finally, between the coast of Devon and South Wales is the island of Lundy, which is
three miles long and half a mile wide. At one time it was almost a pirate kingdom, but today it is
a bird sanctuary, with a resident human population of about twelve.
1. An offshore island is an island _____.
a. always linked to the mainland by causeway
b. far from the land
c. not far from the land
2. _____ are called naturalists.
a. Ornithologists, zoologists and botanists
b. Archaeologists, architects and archivists
c. Sociologists, socio-economists and socio-linguists
3. Parkhurst is a _____ on the Isle of Wight.
a. recreation zone
b. penitentiary
c. chain of white chalk cliffs

13

4. Lots Wife is an allusion to _____.

a. the New Testament
b. the Old Testament
c. fiction
5. Only _____ among the Scilly Isles have a resident human population.
a. half a dozen
b. fifty
c. 100 large rocks
6. The word sanctuary in the last paragraph implies _____.
a. a wide area of water where a river flows into the sea
b. a kingdom where pirates reside with seabirds
c. a place where birds are protected from people wishing to attack and kill them
B
Put the following statements in order to complete the Geographical Map of Great
Britain from north to south.
1. Hadrians Wall was built by the Romans in the second century across the northern border of
their province of Britannia (along nearly the same line as the present English-Scottish border) in
order to protect their territory from attacks by the Scots.
2. The south-west peninsula, with its rocky coast, numerous small bays and wild moorlands is
the most popular holiday area in Britain. You can admire Lands End here, the extreme southwest point of England.
3. The Pennines run up the middle of northern England like a spine. Many towns have sprung
up on both sides of the mountains.
4. Edinburgh is the capital of Scotland and is associated with scholarship, the law and
administration. This reputation, together with its many fine historic buildings, has led to its being
called the Athens of the North.
5. Birmingham, Britains second largest city and the surrounding area of the West Midlands are
known as the Black Country.
6. The Highlands is an area of spectacular natural beauty, consisting of mountains and deep
valleys. The greatest Scottish poet Robert Burns dedicated some of his poems to this country:
My hearts in the Highlands, my heart is not here,
My hearts in the Highlands a-chasing the deer
A-chasing the wild deer, and following the roe:
My hearts in the Highlands, wherever I go.
C

Match the terms with their definitions. Then read the text to check your answers.

1. conurbations

2. dormitory towns

3. green belt

4. new towns

a. towns built in accordance with the principles of town planning so that their various functions
are related to one another in the most efficient and satisfying manner
b. groupings of towns that were formerly separate, forming single large communities
c. towns in which people live, but do not work
d. area of parks and farmland encircling an urban area and protected from development
Conurbations are groups of once separate towns that have grown to form a single
community. Although Britain is short of housing, planners like to keep a belt of undeveloped
land around cities known as a green belt to reduce pollution and provide open spaces for leisure.
This has meant that the only alternative to the redevelopment of the conurbations has been the
14

creation of new towns. They are near enough to conurbations for people to use them as
dormitory towns where a large percentage of the population commutes daily to work in
conurbations.
Food for Thought and Talk
1. Bearing in mind its landscape, which part of Britain would you choose to live in or visit
for a holiday? Why?
2. How is climate in your country different from that in Britain?
Food for Writing
Writing techniques
A narrative can be written in the first or the third person and describes a series of events, either
imaginary or based on your own experience. A good narrative should consist of:
a. an introduction in which you set the scene (people involved, time, place) in an interesting
way to catch the readers attention and make him/her want to continue reading your story;
b. a main body consisting of two or more paragraphs in which you develop your story;
c. a conclusion in which you can refer to peoples feelings, comments and reactions or
consequences. The more unpredictable your conclusion is, the longer-lasting the impression it
will make on the reader.
Points to consider:
a. you should never start writing your story before you have decided on a plot;
b. sequence of events is very important;
c. use of various adjectives and adverbs to describe people and their feelings or actions, places,
objects or events, as well as use of direct speech and variety of verbs, will make your story more
exciting to read.
Linking words
Personal opinion
Other peoples opinion

In my opinion/view; To my way of thinking; Personally I believe

that; It strikes me that; I feel very strongly that; I am inclined to think
that; It seems to me that; As far as I am concerned; I think that
It is popularly believed that; People often claim that; A lot of people
think/believe that; Some people/Many argue that

A
Use the tourist information below and some useful phrases in it to attract people to
the idea of visiting a place in your country.
Pleasure Beach in Blackpool is the UKs top theme park attracting over 5 million visitors a year.
Its a combination of thrill rides, roller coasters, water rides, amusements and shows.
One of the most famous rides at 235 ft is The Big One, Europes tallest roller coaster.
There are height restrictions on the bigger rides but there are plenty of rides and amusement for
small children so they wont feel left out.
There is no shortage of places to eat and drink with over 35 restaurants and cafes, as well as a
pub and a hotel.
Open from February to November.
Visit www.tourist-information-uk.com for more information.
B

Write a narrative describing the city/country you visited last.

15

Snap before Nap

The Giants Causeway Eighth Wonder of the World
The Giants Causeway has always been described as the Eighth Wonder of the World and
it is the only World Heritage Site in Northern Ireland. The Causeway is a mass of stone columns
standing very near together. The tops of the columns form stepping stones leading from the cliff
foot and disappearing under the sea. Over the whole Causeway there are 40,000 of these stone
columns. The tallest are about 42 feet high.
Visitors in modern times have been told that the Causeway is a strange geological feature
the result of volcanic action. However, for those who prefer a more colourful story different
legends are more convincing. The ancient Irish, for example, believed this was giants work and,
in particular, the work of the giant Finn McCool, the Ulster soldier and commander of the armies
of the King of All Ireland. Finn was extremely strong. He could pick thorns out of his heels
while running and he was capable of amazing feats of strength.
On one occasion, during a fight with a Scottish giant, he picked up a huge piece of earth
and threw it at him. The earth fell into the Irish Sea and became the Isle of Man. The hole it left
filled with water and became the great inland sea of Lough Neagh. People said that Finn who
lived on the North Antrim coast fell in love with a lady giant. She lived on an island in the
Scottish Hebrides, and so he began to build this wide causeway to bring her across to Ulster.
Here, among the stones of the Causeway, one can see the Chimney Stacks that mark
Finns home, his old Organ, or the giants boot that he discarded on the shore. Another version
of the legend was that Finn had spent many days and nights trying to create a bridge to Scotland
because he was challenged by another giant. A fellow boatman told him that the opponent was
much larger than him and strength came from his little finger. Finn told his wife, a clever
woman, that he was a little scared of the giant. Realizing that if he lost his finger, he would lose
his strength and Finn could beat him in no time, she came up with an ingenious plan to dress
Finn like a baby. She made Finn lie still in the cradle and do as she said. When the opponent
came to Finns house, Finns wife told him that Finn was out woodcutting and the opponent
would have to wait for him to return.
Meanwhile she treated him to huge loaves of bread saying her husband ate a dozen of
them every day. But only the cunning woman knew that this time the loaves had some very
special ingredients each contained an iron bar. Soon the giant lost almost all his teeth. He was
about to leave when Finns wife challenged him to have a look at their baby in the cradle. She
gave the baby a loaf of bread with no iron bar in it and Finn gobbled it up. Finns wife stuck
the giants little finger into her husbands mouth so that the giant himself could try the amazing
size of the babys teeth. Finn quickly realized what his wife was up to and bit off the finger.
Then he leapt out of the cradle and fought the giant out of his house. The poor giant ran
back to Scotland throwing random stones into the waters below and never returned.
Finn never completed his causeway. He was the strongest indeed, but he was not strong
enough. Or maybe he was just too lazy.
What a pity the last two giants did not make a pact of friendship. For then they would
perhaps have made it possible for the people of the subsequent centuries to walk from Ireland to
Scotland.
Hidden Rules of English Behaviour
Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.

16

 (improvement) ,
, (arrange) .
:
, . ,
.
.
, .
, , ,
.
(stratum)
(decay) ,
,
(be stuffed) ,
(height) .
(in imitation),
, ,
, (despise) .
,
lounge, .
,
.
-,
(trolley).
(curtain lace).
,
(, , , ), .
(living-room)
,
, . (scarcity)
, TV telly
(conspicuous) ,
.
,
, back room family
room, music room. ,
music room , , .

, .

.
,
.
(suite) ,
(upholstery) , ,
,
.
(matching) .
,
: ,
(chic),
; , -, (cheapie),
.
17

Unit 2

History

Pre-Reading

Word Bank

1. claim (n) , ; territorial claims ; to

lay claim to sth -; to abandon (give up) a claim
; laim (v) , ; to claim to
the throne
2. conquer (v) , ; to conquer a country (a new territory, a people,
the enemy) e.g. Egypt was conquered by the Persian King Kambyses. onquest (n)
, e.g. The Roman legions withdrew, opening the way for the conquest of
the British Isles by the Germanic tribes. conqueror (n) ,
3. defeat (v) , ; Syn. beat e.g. They hoped to defeat the enemy
at sea. defeat (n) , ; suffer a defeat e.g. The
socialist party suffered a crushing defeat in the elections. inflict a defeat ;
accept (admit) defeat ; defeated (adj)
,
4. govern (v) , ; to govern a country (a people); to govern skillfully
(wisely, with justice) (, ); government (n)
, ; sovereign government ;
puppet government ; Liberal (Labour, Conservative)
government (c, ) ; democratic
(republican, federal, parliamentary) government (,
, ) ; governing (adj) , ;
governing body ; governing class
5. invade (v) , , e.g. The Romans invaded Britain 2000 years
ago. invasion (n) , , e.g. Castro claimed that US forces were
planning an invasion. invader (n) , ; invasive (adj) ;
invasive war
6. launch a war (an attack) ()
7. neutral (adj) , ; neutral nation
; neutral territory ; to be (to remain) neutral

8. resist (v) ; to resist an enemy; resistance (n) ;
to put up (offer) resistance
9. threat (n) ; a threat to the cause of peace ; to threaten (v)
; to threaten to do sth; to threaten sb with sth
10. treaty (n) ; to sign a treaty ; a peace treaty

Language Awareness

The word history comes from Greek historia meaning inquiry, knowledge acquired by
investigation. History is the discovery, collection, organization and presentation of information
about past events. Among scholars, the fifth-century BC Greek historian Herodotus is considered
to be the Father of History. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented.
The word herstory is a neologism coined in the late 1960s. In feminist discourse the term
refers to history (wrongly interpreted as his-story, though etymologically the word is unrelated to
the possessive pronoun his), written or told from a womans point of view and emphasizing the
role of women.
18

C
Before you read the main text check your knowledge of English history by filling the
empty boxes in the Fact Check.
Who/What
William the
Conqueror
Richard the
Lionheart
The English and the
French
Lancastrians and
Yorkists
Guy Fawkes

The Great Plague

The Great Fire of
London
Admiral Horatio
Nelson

What they did

Where
Hastings

When
XI c (1066)

England

late XII c
(1189-1199)
XIV-XV cc
(1337-1453)
XV c (1455-1485)

fought in Crusades
fought the Hundred
Years War

plotted to blow up the London

Houses of the
Parliament
London
took place
defeated the
combined fleets of
French and Spanish
Navy

XVII c (1665)
XVII c (1666)
early XIX c (1805)

Reading
History is not what happened, history is what was written down
Prehistory
In the VIII century BC the Celts, who had arrived from Europe inhabited the British Isles.
The language the people spoke was Celtic. Their culture was very primitive. They believed that
different gods lived in the thickest and darkest parts of the woods. One of the astonishing
monuments of this period is Stonehenge.
The Roman Period (43-410)
The first Romans to campaign extensively in Britain were the forces of Julius Caesar in
55 and 54 BC. So, 55 BC is the first date in popular British history. But the first significant
conquest by the powerful State of Rome did not begin until 43 AD, under Claudius. They came
from Italy, and calling the country Britannia gave Britain its name. The Romans ruled Britain for
over two hundred years and left behind three things of importance: their roads, the sites of
important cities (notably London called Londinium), and the seeds of Christianity. A significant
number of English words are constructed based on roots from Latin. One more lasting reminder
of their presence is place-names like Chester, Lancaster and Gloucester, which include variants
of the Roman word castra meaning a military camp.
The Germanic Invasions (410-1066)
The period from the early V century towards the end of the VII century is famous for seainvasions by Germanic tribes called Angles, Saxons and Jutes who lived in the northern and
central parts of Europe. Angles gave their name to the country Angle-land. They mainly
occupied the south-east of the country and drove many Britons into the mountainous regions of
Wales, Scotland and Ireland or absorbed those who remained into their way of life. In the west of
the country the advance of the Anglo-Saxons was held back by an army of Britons under the
command of the legendary King Arthur.
Unlike the Romans the Anglo-Saxons had a great effect on the countryside, where they
introduced new farming methods and founded thousands of self-sufficient villages. The AngloSaxons were pagan when they came to Britain. But they were easily converted to Christianity.

19

Another wave of Germanic invasions took place in the VIII-XI centuries. They were
Vikings from Scandinavia. This conquest was halted by King Alfred, the only monarch in
English history who was given the title of Alfred the Great. The last of the invaders were the
Normans from Normandy, France. The army under the Norman leader, Duke William of
Normandy, defeated the English at the battle of Hastings on 14 October, 1066. Later that year, he
was crowned king of England and is known in popular history as William the Conqueror. The
Normans gradually broke their ties with France and by the XIII century had so mingled with the
Anglo-Saxons that the two were united in the English.
The Medieval Period (1066-1485)
The successful Norman invasion of England in 1066 brought Britain into the mainstream
of western European culture. It was in this period that Parliament began its gradual evolution
into the democratic body which it is today. In 1295, Edward I called a parliament that became
known as the Model Parliament, at which elected representatives from different areas were
present. The House of Commons as a separate Chamber was formed at that time. The person
chosen to speak for those commoners in Parliament became known as the Speaker.
At that time both Wales and Scotland were independent kingdoms that resisted English
rule. The English conquest of Wales succeeded in 1282 under Edward I. To appease the Welsh,
Edwards son (Edward II) born in Wales, was made Prince of Wales in 1301. The tradition of
giving this title to the eldest son of the British Monarch continues today. An act of 1536
completed the political and administrative union of England and Wales.
King Richard I known also as Richard the Lionheart (1189-1199) spent most of his reign
fighting in the crusades (the wars between Christians and Muslims in the Middle East). While
Richard was away, England was governed by his brother John, who imposed very high taxes on
the population and was very unpopular. Richard I has often been portrayed heroically in
literature, most famously in Sir Walter Scotts novel Ivanhoe, in which Richard is assisted by
the outlaw Robin Hood Englands legendary folk hero.
For over one hundred years English kings, descendants of William the Conqueror laid
claims to the French throne. So the Hundred Years War between England and France began in
1337 and lasted until 1453 though a formal treaty to end the war was only signed in 1475. The
fighting, however, was not continual. It was a cycle of battles, peace treaties and breaches of
these peace treaties.
One of the prominent historic figures of that time is Saint Joan of Arc or the Maid of
Orleans. She is considered a national heroine of France. Down to the present day, Joan of Arc
has remained a significant figure in Western culture.
The Tudor Dynasty (1485-1603)
After the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485) between two rival dynasties which weakened
and impoverished the nation, Henry VII gave origin to the Tudor Dynasty. The Tudor Dynasty
established an era of stability and a system of strong professional government. Parliament was
split into two Houses: the House of Lords consisting of aristocracy and clergymen, and the
House of Commons representing both the urban and rural population, and having a more
decisive role in policy-making.
The power of the towns, with their educated and industrious middle classes, began to
make itself felt and there was a revival, Renaissance of learning.
Henry VIII (1509-1547), was a typical Renaissance prince: handsome, learned and
ambitious. It was his creation of the Royal Navy that enabled England to realize her imperialistic
ambitions. Henry VIII is one of the most well-known monarchs in English history also because
he took six wives during his life.
Elizabeth I (1558 1603), daughter of Henry VIII, was the first of three long-reigning
queens in British history (the other two are Queen Victoria and Elizabeth II). She was an
outstanding ruler, very popular and strong. During her long reign, England became very
important in European politics, in commerce and the arts. The Elizabethan era was the height of
the English Renaissance and it saw the flowering of English poetry, music, theatre and literature.
20

Her reign is considered by many as the Golden Age of English history, producing not only poets
like Shakespeare and Spenser, but also prosperity for the whole nation.
The Elizabethan age is viewed so highly because of the contrasts with the periods before
and after. It was a brief period of internal peace between Protestants and Catholics, between
Parliament and Monarchy.
Elizabeth I never married, but used its possibility as a diplomatic tool. She became
known as the virgin queen. But it doesnt mean she didnt have marriage proposals. She was
beautiful. She was witty. She could flirt in eight languages (Greek, French, Italian, Latin,
Spanish, Flemish, Welsh, and, of course, English). But she said No, thank you in different
languages to different suitors, among them Philip II of Spain, Eric XIV of Sweden, Francois,
Duke of Anjou of France and many others. Her Russian suitor Ivan the Terrible pursued
Elizabeths hand in marriage and sent her rich fabrics and expensive furs. Elizabeth kept the
gifts, but refused the marriage proposal.
The Stuart Period (1603-1714)
In 1603 Elizabeth I died and having no heir she was succeeded by her closest relative
King James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England. The Catholics were upset that there
was going to be another Protestant monarch. Some of them planned to blow up the Houses of
Parliament on 5 November when the King was going to open the Parliament. But the gunpowder
plot failed and its failure was celebrated as a victory for British Protestantism over rebel
Catholicism.
King Charles I raised taxes ignoring Parliament and prevented it from meeting for 11
years. Relations between King and Parliament became so bad that the civil war eventually broke
out in 1642. The war ended with complete victory of parliamentary forces. Charles I was
captured and became the first monarch in Europe to be executed. Oliver Cromwell, the leader of
the parliamentary army of Roundheads (because of the style of their haircuts) became Lord
Protector of Republic. For the first and only time, England briefly became a republic. The Stuarts
were then restored to the throne under Charles II in 1660.
There came two tragic years in Englands history: 1665, the year of the Great Plague, and
1666, the year of the Great Fire of London.
The XVIII century
Politically, this century was stable. Two opposing groups were formed within Parliament.
The Whigs (todays Liberals) supported the Protestant values of hard work and thrift and
believed in government by monarch and aristocracy together. The Tories (todays Conservatives)
had a great respect for the idea of the monarchy and the importance of the Anglican Church.
Britain expanded its empire in the Americas, the West African coast and in India. The
increased trade which resulted from new markets and a flow of thousands of people from rural
areas into new towns and cities led to the Industrial Revolution. Most of these new towns were in
the north of England, where raw materials for industry were available. In the south of England,
London came to dominate as a business and trade centre.
The XIX century: Queen Victoria and Victorian England
At the dawn of the XIX century, England was locked in a war with France. In 1805 a
British fleet under the command of Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated the combined fleets of
French and Spanish Navy at the Battle of Trafalgar.
It was during the XIX century and the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) that the
British Empire, including India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and various
colonies on the African coast, grew to the size so vast that the sun never sets upon it. The
Victorian era was a period of industrial, cultural, political, scientific and military progress.
During her sixty-four-year reign, she became a very popular symbol of Britains success in the
world and gave her name to the age. Her practice of insisting on being informed about
government policy while remaining politically neutral fixed the position of the Crown in Britain.
As a hard-working, religious mother of nine children, devoted to her husband, Prince Albert, she
was regarded as the personification of contemporary morals. It was then that Victorian values
21

were established. They emphasized hard work and thrift, and it was to them that the Thatcher
Government of 1980s wished to return.
The XX century
By the beginning of the XX century, Britain was no longer the worlds richest country. It
was then that the working class began to make its voice heard. In Parliament, the Labour Party
gradually replaced the Liberals as the main opposition to the Conservatives. Trade Unions
managed to organize themselves.
In 1939 Britain was involved in World War II, for which it was ill-prepared. Only the
courageous efforts of Britains Air Force prevented Germany from invading her. Sir Winston
Churchill, the Prime Minister of the UK during WW II, is unquestionably considered one of the
worlds most outstanding political statesmen. He was also famous as an orator, historian, writer
and artist.
Since 1952 the reigning Queen of the country has been Elizabeth II.
After the Second World War and throughout the 1950s, it was understood that a
conference of the worlds great powers involved the USA, the Soviet Union and Britain.
However, in 1962, the Cuban missile crisis, one of the greatest threats to global peace since the
war, was resolved without reference to Britain. By the 1970s it was generally accepted that a
superpower conference involved only the USA and the Soviet Union.
Despite Britains loss of power and status on the world stage, some small remnants of the
empire remained. The old imperial spirit was not quite dead. In 1982 the British government
spent hundreds of millions of pounds to recapture the Falklands/Malvinas Islands from the
invading Argentineans.
The special relationship which existed between Britain and the USA throughout the
second half of the XX century, has declined since Britain joined the European Community in
1973.
From 1979 to 1990 Margaret Thatcher served as Prime Minister of Britain on the
Conservative Party. During her term of office she reshaped almost every aspect of British
politics, reviving the economy, reforming outdated institutions, and reinvigorating the nations
foreign policy. For her strong personality she was nicknamed the Iron Lady.
The XXI century
The 2001 September 11 attacks in the United States made the US launch the War on
Terror, beginning with a conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq aided by British troops. The effects of
the War on Terror increased the threat of international terrorists plotting attacks against the UK.
In 2005 a series of four bomb explosions struck Londons public transport system. In 2007
Muslim extremists set Glasgow International Airport ablaze.
Post-Reading
A

Answer the questions on the text.

1.
2.
3.
4.

What can you tell about the prehistoric period in the British Isles?
What important things did the Roman rule bring to Britain?
As contrasted to the Romans, how did the Anglo-Saxons influence the life in Britain?
Which historical period brought Britain into the mainstream of western European
culture? Expand on it.
5. Do you agree that both Henry VII and Henry VIII left a profound trace in English
history? Why?
6. What were the marvels of the Elizabethan era?
7. Can you enumerate some of the landmarks in the history of the Stuart Period?
8. What does Industrial Revolution imply?
9. How does the saying The sun never sets upon the British Empire prove itself to be true?
10. Why do you think Victorian values are so important even for modern history?
22

11. The XX century saw two most outstanding politicians: Winston Churchill and Margaret
Thatcher. What was their role in building history?
12. How can the first decade of the XXI century be defined in terms of international politics?
B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. appease
2. conquest
3. descendant
4. flowering of democracy
5. morals
6. rebel
7. resist
8. rival
9. self-sufficient
10. thrift
C

a. standards of behaviour; principles of right and wrong

b. to oppose a plan, an idea
c. a person competing with another
d. to reduce the intensity of somebodys feelings by satisfying their
needs or demands partly or in full
e. able to fulfil ones own needs, without help from others
f. the habit of saving money and spending it carefully
g. the action of taking possession and control of a country by force
h. a person who fights against the established government
i. a person that has another as an ancestor
j. the full development of government by all the people of a country

Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.

1. Few people realized the _____ of the discovery. SIGNIFY

2. Amy Johnson is famous for her _____ solo flight from Britain to Australia in 1930. HERO
3. After the war, Germany became one of Europes most _____ countries. PROSPER
4. Some people considered the General to be the _____ of patriotic courage. PERSON
5. With threats and beatings the workers were _____ into leaving their unions. TERRORIST
6. All there was in the region was dry soil and _____ villages. POVERTY
7. Enemy forces were almost certainly preparing to _____. INVASION
8. Before the Romans came, the Gauls Kingdom in France was _____. EXTEND
9. I am _____ amazed and depressed by the way the government runs the country. CONTINUE
10. The professor believes that Mayan Civilization was long neglected by _____. HISTORY
D
Complete the second sentence using the words and expressions given below, so that
it has a similar meaning to the first sentence. You may need to add some words and make
changes.
1. The police were unable to prevent the crowd from advancing.
The police were unable ________________________.
2. General Smith is in authority to give orders to the army.
The army is ________________________.
3. Nearly 90% of the inhabitants of this part of the city need financial help.
Nearly 90% of the inhabitants of this part of the city need to be ________________________.
4. The parent organization is likely to have two separate parties: the left wing and the right wing.
The parent organization is likely________________________: the left wing and the right
wing.
5. The deposed king was brought back to his former position on the throne.
The deposed king was ________________________.
6. Grandpa was telling about his navy days and how his ship exploded after hitting a mine.
Grandpa was telling about his navy days and how his ship ________________________.
7. The new chairman is certainly making others aware of his presence by his superior authority.
The new chairman is certainly ________________________.
8. Charles Macintosh invented a type of raincoat which then became known by his own name.
23

Charles Macintosh ________________________.

9. The press started to attack the President violently.
The press ________________________.
10. Both Britain and Argentina state that they have a right to own the Falkland Islands.
Both Britain and Argentina ________________________.
give ones name to
make oneself felt

launch
the command

assist
restore

blow up
lay claim to

split into
hold back

Translate into English

1. 1812
.
2. World Peace :
, .
3. II, ,
- , 1762
1796 .
4. 1950 , ,
.
5. ,
1918 .
6. ,
.
7.
.
8.
.
9. , .
10. 20 2001 , :
-,
.
Extra Exploration
A

Put the following sentences into the correct order to complete Britains DNA Map.

Modern genetic science throws up some worrying questions. But it is at least producing one very
valuable finding. It is showing that national and ethnic differences have very little to do with race
and more to do with culture instead.
1. Then, the Romans conquered it and stayed for nearly four centuries.
2. This is why in modern times we talk about England on the one hand and the Celtic nations of
Scotland, Wales and Ireland on the other.
3. And yet all these successive invasions appear to have made little difference to the modern
gene pool.
4. In 1066, England was invaded again, this time by the Normans from France.
5. Moreover, it turns out that the vast majority of people in Britain and Ireland have maternal
genes dating back at least 10,000 years.
6. In the next five centuries, first the Anglo-Saxons and then the Vikings arrived.
7. Research has found, for example, that around 60% of all men in southern England are directly
descended from the Celts.

24

8. Around 700 BC, we are told, Britain was invaded by the Celts, who displaced the indigenous
people.
9. The story goes that, during this time of Germanic invasions, the native Celts were all either
killed or driven north and west.
10. Take the story of Britain, for instance, which can seem like one of repeated mass killings and
mass migrations.
The conclusion we must draw from these findings is that history is often less bloody than we
assume it to be and that earlier people in Britain were not all killed or displaced. Instead, most of
them were assimilated into the newly dominant culture.
B

Read the text Magic Circles and answer the questions below.

Stonehenge is the best known and probably the most remarkable of prehistoric remains in
the UK. It has stood on Salisbury Plain for about 4000 years. There have been many different
theories about its original use, but there are no written records of its origins.
One theory is that it was a place from where stars and planets could be observed. It was
discovered that the positions of some of the stones related to the movements of the sun and the
moon, so that the stones could be used as a calendar to predict such things as eclipses, when the
sun or the moon cannot be seen because the earth is passing directly between the sun and the
moon, or because the moon is passing directly between the sun and the earth.
At one time people thought that Stonehenge was a Druid temple. The Druids were a
Celtic religious group who were suppressed in Britain soon after the Roman Conquest. Some
people believe that they were a group of priests, while others regard them as medicine-men who
practiced human sacrifice and cannibalism. Because Stonehenge had existed 1000 years before
the arrival of the Druids, this theory has been rejected. But it is kept alive today by a group called
the Most Ancient Order of Druids who perform mystic rites at dawn on the summer solstice.
Every year, they meet at Stonehenge to greet the first midsummer sunlight as it falls on the
stones and they lay out symbolic elements of fire, water, bread, salt and a rose.
Solstice is either of the two times of the year at which the sun is furthest north or south of
the Equator around 21 June (summer solstice) and 22 December (winter solstice), while equinox
is either of the two times of the year at which the sun crosses the Equator and day and night are
of equal length around 21 March (spring equinox) and 22 September (autumn equinox).
Another interesting theory is that the great stone circle was used to store terrestrial
energy, which was then generated across the country, through ley lines. Ley lines is the name
given to invisible lines which link up ancient sites throughout Britain. People believe that they
are mysterious channels for a special kind of power. Ley lines are international. In Ireland, they
are known as fairy roads, in China they are known as lungmei and are believed to extend all
over the Earth, and in Australia, the Aborigines make ceremonial journeys for hundreds of miles
along these secret tracks.
1. Stonehenge has always been surrounded by mystery as _____.
a. modern methods of investigation have extended our knowledge
b. there are lots of theories about its original use
c. there are no written records
2. The word eclipse in the text implies _____.
a. blocking of the light of either the sun or the moon
b. catastrophe
c. shadowing the Earth
3. Today the Druids still _____.
a. practice cannibalism
25

b. perform rituals at Stonehenge

c. use Stonehenge as a temple
4. Solstice is either of the two times of the year at which the sun _____.
a. crosses the Equator
b. rises in the east at equinox
c. is furthest north or south of the Equator
5. Ley lines symbolize _____.
a. celestial energy
b. land energy
c. elements of fire, water, bread, salt and a rose
C

Fit the names of people, things and places in the text Legendary Britain.

The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is well-known. Arthur is
said to have been born at 1_____ in Cornwall. It is said that young Arthur pulled out the sword
2_____ from a stone, which no one except the next king could do. It was thought that 3_____
was the ideal court, famous for bravery, chivalry, romantic love and magic, which was practiced
by 4_____, the wizard. Here, at a round table round so that no one could be said to be above
anyone else sat the bravest and most noble Knights in the land: Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot, Sir
Bedivere, and others. Arthur successfully led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the
early VI century.
But England and Arthur began to lose power when Arthur learned about the love affair
between his wife, 5_____, and his best friend, 6_____. Then Arthur began the search for the
7_____ (the wine cup used at Christs last meal). Arthur grew strong again and he went into
battle to save England from his evil cousin 8_____, whom he killed. But Arthur himself was
seriously wounded in the great battle. Knowing that he was dying, he ordered Sir Bedivere to
throw his sword Excalibur into a lake. The hand of the Lady of the Lake came out of the water,
caught the sword, and took it under. Then three mysterious women arrived on a boat and took
Arthur to his final resting place at 9_____.
It is claimed by some that many of the stories of the Arthurian legend were invented by
10_____. But it is believed by others that Arthur really existed, and Arthur and his Knights are
not dead, but merely sleeping and they will return if England is ever in danger again.
a. Guinevere
b. Mordred
c. Excalibur
d. Holy Grail
e. Merlin

f. Camelot
g. Geoffrey of Monmouth
h. Avalon
i. Tintagel Castle
j. Sir Lancelot

D
The Anglo-Saxons believed in many gods and goddesses. When people learned to
divide up time into weeks and the week into seven days, they gave the days the names of
their gods or celestial objects. Match the name of the week day with the corresponding
proper name.
1. Sunday
2. Monday
3. Tuesday
4. Wednesday
5. Thursday
6. Friday

a. Tuesco, god of darkness

b. Freia, goddess of prosperity
c. Woden, god of war
d. Saturn, god of time worshipped by the ancient Romans
e. Sun
f. Thor, god of thunder
26

7. Saturday
E

g. Moon

Fill in the gaps with prepositions.

While Alfred was traveling 1_____ his country organizing resistance 2_____ the Viking
invaders, he traveled 3_____ disguise. 4_____ one occasion, he stopped 5_____ a womans
house. The woman asked him to watch some cakes that she was cooking to see that they did not
burn, while she went 6_____ to get some food. Alfred became lost 7_____ thought and the cakes
burned. When the woman came 8_____, she shouted angrily 9_____ Alfred and sent him
10_____. Alfred never told her that he was her king.
Food for Thought and Talk
1. Which of the famous names in popular British history could you describe as most
notable?
2. It is estimated that at least 600 million people today use English in everyday life at least
ten times the present population of Britain. What do you think has caused the expansion
of the English language?
3. Collect British historical book titles by visiting British bookstores, checking best-seller lists or
websites, and looking at ads for books in magazines and newspapers. Share your findings with
your classmates. Choose a title and make predictions what the book is about.

Food for Writing

Writing techniques
A good beginning is as important as a good ending. A good beginning should make your reader
want to go on with your story. A good ending will make your reader feel satisfied.
You can start your story by:
a. describing weather, surroundings, people etc using the senses;
b. using direct speech;
c. asking a rhetorical question (a question which expects no answer);
d. creating mystery or suspense;
e. referring to your feelings or moods;
f. addressing the reader directly.
You can end your story by:
a. using direct speech;
b. referring to your feelings or moods;
c. describing peoples reactions to the events developed in the main body;
d. creating mystery or suspense;
e. asking a rhetorical question.
Linking words
To list points
To add more points

Firstly; First of all; In the first place; Secondly; Thirdly; Finally; To start
with
What is more; Furthermore; Apart from this/that; In addition (to this);
Moreover; Besides (this); not to mention the fact that; also; too; Not
only but as well; both and

27

Watch a film on British history and write a one-page synopsis of it.

B
Choose a folktale/legend from your culture. Write it out in English and explain why
you think it is representative of your culture.
Snap before Nap
A King of World Renown
Perhaps Englands most famous some would say infamous monarch was King
Henry VIII. King Henry is renowned for his exploits and his amazing character. However, there
is much about him which the world and even English people do not know, for instance:
he established and developed the Royal Army;
he consolidated central government and abolished feudalism;
he improved and developed the parliamentary system;
he was a despot who kept within the law;
he greatly cared for the British Isles and saw a need for unity between their peoples;
he was a fine musician.
Most people have only heard about his bad characteristics, especially the treatment of his
wives. He was desperate to get a son to seal the royal line. In the process of achieving this aim he
worked his way through six wives: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of
Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. What happened to each one can be easily
remembered by a little rhyme:
Divorced
Beheaded
Died
Divorced
Beheaded
Survived.

Henry appears to have been an arrogant self-opinionated man but he made an

unforgettable mark on these islands, its peoples and naturally on his poor beheaded wives.
After Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, died in 1537, Princess Christina of
Denmark was considered as a possible bride for the English King. The German painter Hans
Holbein was commissioned to paint portraits of the noble women who could become the English
Queen. On 10 March 1538, Holbein arrived in Brussels to meet Christina. Christina sat for the
portrait for three hours, wearing mourning clothes. Her rooms were hung with black velvet and
black damask. Christina, then only sixteen years old, was less than enthused with this match and
made no secret of her opposition to marrying the English King, who by this time had a reputation
around Europe for his mistreatment of his wives. Being no fan of Henry VIII she said to an
English ambassador, If I had two heads, one should be at the King of Englands disposal.
Henry pursued the match until January 1539 when the attitude of the Regent made it obvious that
the match would never take place. The English diplomat in Brussels supposedly advised, Henry
should fix his most noble stomach in some other place.
28

Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.
-
,
(put sb to confusion), .
.
, . , , ,
.
(ironical smile), , , , (obedient),
,
. , , ,
, , .
,
. , .
. ,
, ,
-, ,
, , ,
, (feeling of remorse).
, , ,
, , , ,
, .
,
, .
,

, (radical
change) , (upper stiff lip) ,
,
.

? ,
. ? . , ;
, ; ,
(condolence);
, ; ,
, ; ,
, , , ; , ,
; , .
, , .
, . , (wail),
, . . ,
- (sob),
, , (indecorous).
.
. (proper),
.
,
. , , (coffin)

29

: ,
.
, -,
.
, , ,
.

UNIT 3

National Identity

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. adopt (v) , ; to adopt a person as an heir . ; to adopt as the national symbol ()

2. apply (v) ; to apply for a job (citizenship)
(o ); application (n) , ; written application
; application form ; fill in the application form
; to submit an application ; to reject an application
; applicant (n) ; , ; an applicant for the
position
3. born-and-bred ; born-and-bred English citizens
4. dominate (v) , e.g. The party dominates the countrys
parliament. dominant (adj) , ; dominant idea ;
dominant factor ; dominance (n) , ;
political (economic, cultural) dominance (,
)
5. encourage (v) , , ; to encourage sb to do sth; to
encourage sb in sth; Ant. discourage; encouragement (n) , ,
; words of encouragement ; encouraging (adj)
, ; encouraging results
6. found (v) , , ; to found a building
; to found a memorial ; to found an association (a company)
(); founder (n) , ; founding
member -
7. identity (n) , , ; national identity
; cultural identity
8. immigrate (v) e.g. His parents immigrated from Russia before he was
born. immigrant (n) e.g. There was a new wave of immigrants from the Middle
East; immigration (n) ; emigrate (v) e.g. He emigrated to
Australia as a young man. emigrant (n) ; emigration (n)
9. origin (n) ; of Scottish (unknown, noble, divine) origin
(, , ) ; original (adj)
, ; the original inhabitants of the country
; originally (adv) e.g. My father came from that country
originally.
10. race (n) , , ; race conflict ; the human race
; racial (adj) , ; racial minorities
; racial discrimination ; racial prejudice
; racism (n) ; racist (n)

30

Cultural Awareness

Each country in Britain has its own patron saint and floral emblem. Match the pictures 1-4
with the names of the countries a-d.

Scotland St Andrew the Thistle and the Scottish Bluebell

The national flower of Scotland is the thistle, a prickly-leaved purple flower which was
first used in the XV century as a symbol of defence. Legend has it that an army from Norway,
intent on conquering the Scots landed at the coast at night to surprise the sleeping Scots. In order
to move more stealthily under the cover of darkness the Norsemen removed their footwear. One
of them unfortunately stood on one of these little defenders and shrieked out in pain, alerting
the Scots of the advancing army. Needless to say the Scots won the day. The Scottish Bluebell,
often occurring in a traditional Scottish folk song, is also seen as the flower of Scotland. Saint
Andrews day is 30 November which is Scotlands National Day.
b
Northern Ireland St Patrick the Shamrock
The national flower of Northern Ireland is the shamrock, a three-leaved plant similar to
clover. An Irish tale tells of how Saint Patrick used the three-leaved shamrock to explain the
Trinity. He used it in his sermons to represent how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit could
all exist as separate elements of the same entity. His followers adopted the custom of wearing a
shamrock on his feast day, 17 March.
c
England St George the Rose
The rose is the national flower of England. The usage dates from the reign of Henry VII
who introduced the Tudor rose. It is a combination of a red rose, representing the Royal House of
Lancaster and a white rose, representing the Royal House of York, as a symbol of unity after the
English civil wars of the XV century called the Wars of the Roses. Traditionally Saint Georges
Day is celebrated on 23 April.
d
Wales St David the Daffodil and the Leek
The national flower of Wales is the daffodil, which is traditionally worn on Saint Davids
Day, 1 March. The vegetable called leek is also considered to be a traditional emblem of Wales.
There are many explanations of how the leek came to be adopted as the national emblem of
Wales. One is that St David advised the Welsh, on the eve of a battle with the Saxons, to wear
leeks in their caps to distinguish friend from foe.
a

Work in teams and answer the following questions.

1. Do you have any floral emblems in your country?
2. Can you remember the name of a patron saint in your culture and tell his story?
3. What do you know about the flag and the national anthem of your country?

31

Reading
An Englishmans home is his castle
All Scots have a sense of humour because its a free gift
The Irish are a fair people; they never speak well of one another
For a Welshman his swords honour is its idleness
The Four Nations
People often refer to Britain by another name. They call it England. But this is very
annoying for people who live in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The unification of these
states was a gradual process that took several hundred years. It was completed in 1800 when the
Irish Parliament was joined with the Parliament of England, Scotland and Wales in Westminster.
However, in 1922 most of Ireland became a separate state. Yet, people from England, Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland are all British. At one time the four nations inhabiting the British
Isles were different from each other in almost any aspect of life: they were different racially;
they spoke different languages; they tended to have different economic, social and legal systems.
Language
The people in Ireland, Wales and Highland Scotland belonged to the Celtic race; those in
England and Lowland Scotland were mainly of Germanic origin. This difference was reflected in
the languages they spoke. People in the Celtic areas spoke Celtic languages: Irish Gaelic,
Scottish Gaelic and Welsh. People in the Germanic areas spoke Germanic dialects including the
one that has developed into Modern English from Anglo-Saxon. English is the official language
of the UK, but Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic and Welsh are not only spoken but also officially
encouraged and taught at schools.
The Dominance of England
Although there is only one government for the whole of Britain, and the people have the
same passport regardless of where they live, some aspects of government are sometimes
organized differently in the four parts of the United Kingdom. However, it cannot be denied that
the dominant culture of Britain today is specifically English. The system of politics used in all
four nations is of English origin; the language used by all four nations is English; most aspects of
everyday life are organized according to English custom and practice. The supply of money in
Britain is controlled by the Bank of England (there is no such thing as a Bank of Britain). The
present Queen of the country is universally known as Elizabeth II, though Scotland and Ireland
have never had an Elizabeth I. Newspapers and television news talk about Anglo-American
relations to refer to relations between the government of Britain and the USA and not just
England and the USA.
Multiracial Britain
There have been many waves of immigration into Britain and movement within the UK
when many people from Scotland, Wales and Ireland migrated to England. The same holds true
for the further millions of British citizens whose family origins lie outside the British Isles
altogether. The waves of foreigners of Caribbean or Asian origin, from its ex-colonies like
Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and others, influxes of refugees from the troubled corners of the
globe such as Bosnia, Somalia, eastern Turkey to Britain, have made the UK a highly
cosmopolitan country. A great number of them have applied for British citizenship and made
Britain their second home. Nowadays the policy is to encourage these immigrant communities to
continue speaking their own languages by teaching these languages in schools and providing
native language newspapers, magazines, TV and radio programmes for immigrants, as well as
English. There are certainly problems of racial tension, racial discrimination and racial prejudice
in Britain today. But on the other hand, British culture is being enriched through its contact with
other cultures. As a consequence, the born-and-bred British are becoming more adventurous in
their cooking and eating habits. Chinese, Indian and Pakistani restaurants are very popular. The
pop music scene is also changing due to influential West Indian reggae music.

32

National Symbols
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland uses as its national flag the
royal banner known as the Union Flag or, popularly, Union Jack. It has been used as the British
flag since 1603, when Scotland and England were united. The term Union Jack comes from the
written name of James I of England. The Latin form of the name James is Jacobus and the
British version of Jacobus is Jack. It consists of the red upright cross of St George, the white
diagonal cross of St Andrew and the red diagonal cross of St Patrick, representing England,
Scotland and Ireland respectively. Wales is not represented in the Union Flag by St David, as at
the time the flag was designed Wales was part of the Kingdom of England. Wales has its own
flag called the Welsh Dragon.

The Union Jack

The Welsh Dragon

Colours typically worn by sports teams of different nations are: white for England, red for
Wales, blue for Scotland and green for Ireland.
The National Anthem of Great Britain is God Save the Queen. It originated as a
patriotic song and was first performed in 1745. It became known as the National Anthem from
the beginning of the XIX century. On official occasions the first verse is sung. The National
Anthem is played whenever the Queen makes a public appearance and is played by the BBC
every night before closedown:
God save our gracious Queen!
Long live our noble Queen!
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save the Queen!
The Great Seal of the Realm or the Great Seal of the United Kingdom is a seal that is
used to symbolize the Sovereigns approval of important state documents. It is the symbol of the
sovereigns role as Head of State. The Great Seal for each monarch is inscribed with the
monarchs names and titles on both sides of the seal. The seal meant that the monarch did not
need to sign every official document in person. When centuries ago, very few people could read
or write the Seal provided a pictorial expression of Royal approval which all could understand.
When the Great Seal was designed and issued in 2000, the first consideration was
whether or not to continue the 1000-year tradition of depicting the monarch enthroned on one
side and on horseback on the other. Since the Queen no longer attends important state
ceremonies on horseback, it was decided to use the Royal Coat of Arms instead of the equestrian
portrait.
The Royal Coat of Arms of the UK is the official Coat of Arms of the British monarch,
currently Queen Elizabeth II. The main element of the Royal Coat of Arms is the shield with
three gold lions on a red background, symbolizing England; a red lion on a gold field for
Scotland and the gold harp on a blue field for Ireland. Surmounted by the Royal Crown, the
shield is supported by the English Lion on the left and by the Unicorn of Scotland on the right.
The Unicorn is chained because in medieval times a free unicorn was considered a very
dangerous beast. The national flowers rose, thistle and shamrock are displayed beneath the
33

shield. The Coat of Arms features both the motto of the British Monarchs Dieu et mon droit
(God and my right) and the motto of the Order of the Garter Honi soit qui mal pense (Shame
to him who evil thinks). The Royal Coat of Arms we see today comes from Richard the
Lionheart. The three lions on his shield would immediately identify him in the midst of battle.
The Royal Coat of Arms is used on coins, in churches, on public buildings. The Coats of Arms
of other members of the Royal Family have some differences to identify them. In Scotland, the
Queen has a separate version of the Royal Coat of Arms, a variant of which is used by the
Scotland Office.
The Order of the Garter was founded by King Edward III around the time of his claim to
the French throne. The foundation year is usually presumed to be 1348. The Order of the Garter
is the oldest and most prestigious order of knighthood in the United Kingdom. Various legends
account for the origin of the Order. The most popular legend involves the Countess of Salisbury.
While she was dancing at a court ball at Calais with King Edward, her garter is said to have
slipped from her leg. When the bystanders sniggered, the King picked it up and returned it to her.
According to another legend, King Richard I was inspired in the XII century by St George the
Martyr while fighting in the Crusades to tie garters around the legs of his knights, who
subsequently won the battle. King Edward supposedly recalled the event in the XIV century
when he founded the Order.
Stereotypes of National Character
As a multi-national state the UK has no single national costume. However, different
countries within the United Kingdom have national costumes or at least are associated with
styles of dress. Scotland has the kilt, Tam oshanter and tartan clothing usually displayed at
Scottish festivals and accompanied by bagpipe music. A traditional Welsh costume with Welsh
hat is worn by some women during Eisteddfod. In England certain military uniforms such as the
Beefeater or the Queens Guard are considered to be symbolic of Englishness, though they are
not official national costumes. Morris dancers or the costumes for the traditional English May
dance are sometimes cited as examples of traditional English costume, but are only worn by
participants in those events.
The sending and receiving of greeting cards is an established tradition in the UK, with
card sending or card display in the home being an important part of British culture.
The common naming custom throughout the United Kingdom is for everyone to have a
given name (a forename, still often referred to as a Christian or first name), followed by a family
name (surname or last name). Since the XIX century middle names have become very common
and are often taken from the name of a family ancestor.
Most surnames of British origin fall into several types:
Occupations Smith, Cook, Carpenter, Archer, Woodman, Knight;
Personal characteristics Short, Brown, Black, Whitehead, Young, Long, White;
Geographical features Bridge, Camp, Hill, Bush, Lake, Wood, Forest;
Place names Burton, Leighton, Hamilton, Sutton, Flint, Laughton;
Patronymics or ancestral, often from a persons given name or clan name Richardson,
Williams, Jackson, Wilson; MacDonald, McCartney (for those of Scottish origin with
Mac or Mc Scottish Gaelic for son); or OConnor, ODonnell (for those of Irish origin
with O being the Irish word for grandson).
Currently the UK has no single official national day, although the Queens Official
Birthday is used for this purpose in some contexts as a celebration of Britishness.
How do British people think of themselves as individuals? What sort of person does he or
she like to think of himself or herself as? Its difficult to generalize. But if there is one personal
quality which most British people cling to above all others, it is a sense of humour. Perhaps, the
worst shame for all of them would be to be regarded as a person with no sense of humour.
How do other people think of British people as a whole? Todays Englishman drives
from work in his German car to an Irish pub to have a pint or two of Belgian beer. On coming

34

home he has Indian curry or Turkish kebab for supper, then dives into a Swedish sofa and
watches an American show on a Japanese TV. And yet he is suspicious of everything foreign.
Attitudes and Membership
Most of the British live in towns and cities. But they have an idealized vision of the
countryside. To them, the countryside means peace and quiet, beauty, good health and no crime.
The aim of an officially recognized charity, the National Trust, is to preserve as much of
Britains countryside and as many of its historic buildings as possible for the nation whose
reverence for both the countryside and the past is strong. There is even a law that does not allow
the government to take over any of its land without the approval of Parliament. The Family
Planning Association is another organization which started its work without any government
involvement. Not until the establishment of the National Health Service in 1948, did the British
government involve itself in such matters as giving advice and help to young couples regarding
birth control. A further example of self-help is the Consumers Association which protects the
consumers rights.
It is said that the British treat their animals as people. It is true. They even employ them.
Cats are employed at British Railway. Their job is to catch mice. Their pay (tax free) is food, and
they also get free medical treatment (without deductions from their salary). Cruelty to animals of
any kind is a criminal offence. Such offences are investigated and acted upon by a well-known
charity, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA).
The UK is one of the founding members of the United Nations (UN), the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the European Union (EU), and the Council of
Europe (CE). Britain is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Perhaps
the most historically significant international organization the United Kingdom belongs to is the
Commonwealth.
Many countries all over the world were once ruled by Britain. All of them were included
into the British Empire and were its colonies. India, Pakistan, Ceylon, for example, were among
them. These countries are independent states now. In 1949 Britain and the former colonies
founded the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth includes many countries such as Ireland,
Burma, the Sudan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and many others. The Queen of Great
Britain is the Head of the Commonwealth and the Queen of Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Post-Reading
A

Answer the questions on the text.

1. How long did the process of unification of the four states last? When and how was it
completed?
2. What was characteristic of the four nations in past?
3. How can the dominance of England be accounted for?
4. Why cant Britain be called a mono-national country?
5. What is the governments policy concerning immigrants today?
6. What do the crosses in the Union Jack represent?
7. How does the flag reflect the unity of all the four nations living in the British Isles?
8. What do you know about the floral emblems of each country?
9. What are the royal emblems of the parts of the UK pictured on the Royal Coat of Arms?
10. What do you know about the Order of Garter? What legend is connected with it?
11. What signs of national identity can you think of?
12. What is the aim of the National Trust?
13. What organizations helping people or protecting their rights do you know?
14. What international organizations is the UK a member of?

35

B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. at one time
2. community
3. diagonal
4. discrimination
5. enrich
6. feast day
7. founding member
8. identity
9. sovereign
10. unification
C

Match the two halves to form a new word.

1. up
2. horse
3. knight
4. by
5. bag
6. stereo
7. sur
8. close
9. common
10. country
11. uni
12. ex13. fore
14. sur
D

a. the act of joining people together

b. formerly
c. any of the original members of a society or an organization
d. a group of people who have the same interests, religion, race etc
e. a straight line joining two sides of something at an angle
f. to improve the quality or value of something
g. a person with the highest power in a country
h. who somebody is
i. treating a person or group worse than others
j. a religious festival celebrated as a happy occasion

a. stander
b. mount
c. name
d. right
e. colony
f. corn
g. type
h. name
i. pipe
j. hood
k. back
l. side
m. down
n. wealth

Use the correct form of the words in C to complete the given sentences.

1. The Russian for CIS, the _____ of Independent States is SNG, Sodruzhestvo Nezavisimykh
Gosudarstv.
2. Youre listening to Radio SBC. Before _____, here is Beethovens Moonlight Sonata.
3. The roof was _____ by two strange chimneys.
4. Is it necessary for women in England to share their husbands _____?
5. The word _____ is a synonym to vertical.
6. He knows the Queen well and is on first name terms with many members of the Royal Family
giving their _____.
7. He was awarded a _____ for his services to the UK.
8. A _____ is a legendary animal in European folklore symbolizing purity and grace.
9. My son-in-law plays the _____ in an Austrian band.
10. We have to act now to save the _____ for future generations.
11. Police interviewed several _____ after the accident.
12. He pretended to be asleep for the entire two-hour ride on _____.
13. She rejects the feminine _____ that women find their true satisfaction in being mothers.
14. EU offers tax-free exports for Pacific _____.

36

Translate into English

1. ,
( ).
2. , ,
, .
3.
.
4.
.
5. .
6. .
7. . ,
.
8. -
.
9. ,
?
10. ,
.
Extra Exploration
A

Put the following sentences into the correct order to complete the paragraph.

In the group of islands lying off the north-west European coast

1. Historically, it has also been the richest and most powerful.
2. Many of these people feel British
3. is never short of supporters
4. which are often referred to as the four nations.
5. For both these reasons,
6. whose roots lie in the Caribbean or in southern Asia.
7. That is why the Pakistani or Indian cricket team,
8. there are four recognized countries
9. There are also millions of other people in England
10. or the Irish football team
11. England is by far the largest of these countries.
12. many Scottish, Irish, and Welsh people live in England.
13. but they do not feel especially English.
when they are playing in England.
B

Fill in the gaps in this text with words and phrases from the list below.

Research on living arrangements in the XXI century Britain reveals a striking 1_____.
For the first time in more than a century, the majority of men aged 20-24 now live at home with
their parents. Even on their thirtieth birthday, almost one in five continues 2_____. The figures
for young women are lower, but are also rising. These figures may not in themselves seem
extraordinary. But it is the fact that they represent a 50%-increase since 1990 which is 3_____. It
seems strange that in this age of supposedly weak family ties, more twenty-somethings are
choosing not to 4_____.

37

The answer to this 5_____ is partly economic. More young adults are in full-time
education. They have to pay fees, cant earn a regular wage, and so cant afford to set up their
own home.
But some observers argue that the increase is too sharp to 6_____ by economics alone.
They believe it results from paranoid parenting. The popular wisdom is that Britain is more
dangerous than it 7_____. The same people who, when they were young, went out and found
their own friends, decided for themselves where to study, accepted little help from their parents,
and even 8_____ are now micro-managing their adolescent childrens lives. They dont believe
their kids could possibly cope in the 9_____ by themselves. University Open Days are an
example. In the 1980s, almost no 10_____ students were accompanied by their parents. These
days, almost all are.
puzzle
trend
be explained
used to be
to do so
C

prospective
fly the family nest
hitchhiked across Europe
raising eyebrows
big wide world

Use the correct form of one of the verbs below.

Every year, tens of thousands of people 1_____ for British citizenship. However, 2_____
that citizenship was being treated too lightly, the British government 3_____ a number of
changes in the last decade or so. One is that you have to 4_____ a test of the English language.
Another is that, instead of getting it through the post, you now 5_____ your citizenship at a semipublic ceremony.
And since 2005, applicants 6_____ an extra hurdle to jump. They have to 7_____ a test
about life in Britain. The test is based on an official book called Life in the UK and the pass
mark is 75%. Its a tough test. Before its launch, it was revealed that most groups of born-andbred British citizens, including teachers, were unable to 8_____ the pass mark. In response to
complaints about this, the government said its a test of knowledge of the set book. At least this
last requirement 9_____ that all new British citizens are capable of cramming for exams!
Perhaps its a sneaky way of 10_____ standards of exam performance in the country!
achieve
pass
D

apply
raise

concern
receive

ensure
sit

have
introduce

Match each organization in the box with its description below.

RSPCA
The Ramblers Association
Family Planning Association

The National Trust

Neighbourhood Watch
Consumers Association

1. an organization of people who like walking in the countryside

2. an organization of people to fight local crime
3. an organization which helps to preserve the countryside
4. a self-help organization of people investigating and exposing faulty goods and services
5. an organization which looks after the wellbeing of animals
6. an organization for assisting young couples

38

Food for Thought and Talk

1. Are people inhabiting different regions of your country different from each other in any
aspect?
2. What is the stereotype for different nationalities living on the British Isles? What is the
stereotype for your nationality? Do you believe in stereotypes?
3. Do you think that various associations and organizations (like the National Trust, the
Consumers Association etc) can improve or benefit peoples lives?
Food for Writing
Writing techniques
Summarizing involves expressing the ideas of another in your own words, usually in a shorter
form, including only the key ideas and the main points that are worth noting.
At the same time, however, a summary should faithfully represent the standpoint and emphasis
of the original source, while remaining neutral and impartial in tone.
Here are some tips of how to summarize a piece of writing:
a. read the text to be summarized at least twice;
b. identify the main sentence of every paragraph (it is usually the first sentence);
c. look for key points or any important distinction which form the framework of the ideas;
d. chain those ideas and express the key points or distinctions in your own words.
Linking words
To express cause
To express effect
A

because (of); owing to/due to (the fact that); on the grounds that; since; as;
in view of; for this reason; now that
thus; therefore; so; consequently; as a result; as a consequence

Make a one-page summary of National Identity Reading passage.

B
Choose any ethnic group living in Britain to research on-line and answer these
questions in writing.
1. Where do they live?
2. How many of them live there?
3. Do they observe any festivals there?
4. Do they have any native-language newspapers there?
5. Are there special schools for them?
6. What kind of websites are there for this group?
7. What are the citizenship requirements for them?
8. Do they experience discrimination?
9. Do you think they are endangered to lose their national identity values soon?
10. Do you feel positive or negative to this problem?

39

Snap before Nap

Auld Lang Syne
Commemorating the birthday of the XVIII-century Scottish poet Robert Burns, Burns
Night is a festival celebrated on 25 January, wherever Scots gather together. During the Night,
there are a lot of patriotic and sentimental speeches, Scottish dancing and performances of
Burns poems.
First commemorated by the Burns Clubs soon after the poets death, the evening begins
with traditional food, often with a menu written in the poets Scots dialect and sometimes in
rhyme. This may include such delicacies as sheeps head broth, dried cod with horseradish and
egg sauce, smoked haddock but the pride of place goes to the haggis (sheeps heart, lungs and
liver boiled up in a sheeps stomach). Traditionally the haggis is often accompanied by mashed
potatoes or turnips. Although the haggis neither sounds nor looks appetizing, most people brave
enough to try it agree that it is extremely tasty. The meal ends with everybody linking arms and
singing the most famous of their songs Auld Lang Syne, which literally means old long since
or long ago.

And heres a hand, my trusty friend,

And give a hand of thine,
Well drink a cup of kindness yet,
For days of auld lang syne.

40

Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.

, , ,
, ,
: , ?

. , ?
(substitute) : ,
! , , .
.
: , ,
, ? , :
, , . ,
.
(insulting) : , .
,
, How do you do? , ,
, How do you do?,
.
, ? c
. ? ,
, ? .
(
) , , (essence)
(content), .
, -
, .
, , ,
, , ,
,
.
, .
, ,
, .
:
;
;
(awkward) .
, ,
. ,
(have nothing to do).
, .
(unpredictable),
.
, (scold) ,
.
:

41

, (censure) (stranger)
(ill-breeding).

Unit 4

Religion

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. adhere (v) , ; to adhere to teachings

; adherent (n) , ; adherents of the Greek
Orthodox Church
2. excommunicate (v) ; excommunication (n) ;
greater (major) excommunication , ; lesser (minor)
excommunication
3. holy (adj) , ; Syn. sacred; holy water ; holy oil ;
Holy City (, ); Holy Land ();
Holy Trinity ; Holy Grail ; Holy Bible
4. pilgrim (n) , e.g. There were many pilgrims visiting the holy shrine.
Pilgrim Fathers -; pilgrimage (n) ; to go on a pilgrimage
(make a pilgrimage) ; a place of pilgrimage

5. pray (v) e.g. Martha prayed to God for help. He prayed that his sight might be
restored. hope and pray ; prayer (n) ; to say ones prayers
; the Lords Prayer ; priest (n) ,
; Like priest, like people ,
6. religion (n) , ; Christian/Buddhist/Jewish/Muslim religion;
religious (adj) , , ; religious beliefs
; religious leader ; religious freedom

7. saint (n) Abbr. St or St. , e.g. Statues of saints lined the walls of the
church. saints day , ; sbs saint day -.
8. secular (adj) , , ; secular education
; secular society ()
9. spirit (n) , ; the Holy Spirit ; evil spirit ; spiritual (adj)
, ; spiritual peers ; spiritual values
e.g. The Dalai Lamai is the exiled spiritual leader of Tibet. spiritual (n) ,

10. theology (n) , e.g. He studied theology at University. theologian (n)
; theological (adj) , ; theological college (seminary,
debate, training)
B

Language Awareness

What is religion? There are many definitions for the term religion in common usage. We
define it broadly here in order to include the greatest numbers of belief systems. Religion is any
specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy
of life. The word is borrowed into the English language from Latin religio.
In the box below there are words relating to religion. Complete the sentences using
one of them. The number of the letters is given. There are several extra words that you do
not need to use.
42

agnostic
pilgrimage

atheist
theology

belief
prayer

deism
religious

devout
secular

faith
spiritual

holy
pious

1. Christianity as a system of __ __ __ __ __ __ became more popular in the Western world.

2. She likes to keep an open mind in religious matters and believes it is impossible to be certain
whether God exists or not. So she refers to herself as a/an __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
3. Clares mother is a/an __ __ __ __ __ __ Catholic who would never miss a Sunday mass.
4. The Dalai Lama is the exiled __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ leader of the Tibetan people.
5. Jerusalem is a/an __ __ __ __ city for Jews, Christians and Muslims.
6. The ensemble played a mix of religious and __ __ __ __ __ __ __ music.
7. His research at college was __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __, namely, the comparison of Eastern and
Western religious ideas.
C

Religious Awareness

Fill in the blanks with prepositions in the text When a King and a Pope Quarreled.
In 1525 King Henry VIII decided to divorce his queen, Catherine of Aragon who, 1_____
the age of forty, was five years older than Henry. Also, she had only given him a daughter, and
Henry wanted a son. He fell 2_____ love 3_____ Anne Boleyn who was younger, but when
Henry asked the Pope 4_____ permission to divorce Catherine, he refused. Henry was so angry
5_____ the Pope that he ended all contact 6_____ England and Rome, divorced Catherine of
Aragon 7_____ the Popes permission and married Anne Boleyn. In 1534 Parliament named
Henry Head of the Church of England. This was the beginning of the Anglican Church. This
quarrel 8_____ Rome was political, not religious. The Anglican Church did not start as a
Protestant Church and Henry certainly did not regard himself as a Protestant. 9_____ fact, the
Pope had given Henry the title of Defender of the Faith in 1521 10_____ words he wrote
attacking Martin Luther, the German Protestant. However the Protestant movement was growing
very strong 11_____ this time. When Henry quarreled 12_____ Rome and ordered the Bible to
be translated 13_____ English, the way was open 14_____ Protestantism to spread in England.
15_____ the next years many people changed 16_____ this new religion.
In 1553 Mary, Henrys daughter 17_____ Catherine of Aragon, became Queen of
England. Because she was a Roman Catholic, the country re-entered the Roman Church. While
Mary was Queen, many Protestants were burned 18_____ the stake 19_____ their beliefs. She
also put her non-Roman Catholic sister, Elizabeth (the daughter of Henry and Anne Boleyn),
20_____ prison in the Tower of London. Protestants were glad when Mary died in 1558 and
Elizabeth became Queen. Elizabeth also became Head of the Anglican Church, like her father,
and Roman Catholicism was never again the established religion in England.
D

English Illuminated Manuscripts

Medieval English bibles were highly decorated works of art. After St Augustine of
Canterbury Christianized England near the end of the VI century, English monks became famous
for developing fantastic illuminated manuscripts. British monks had a distinctive writing style
called Insular Script that was adorned by heavy use of paint and gold leaf to illustrate religious
literature. A surviving example is the Lindisfarne Gospels, created in Northumbria in the early
VIII century, which is now housed in the British Library.

43

The Lindisfarne Gospels is a Christian manuscript, containing the gospels of Matthew,

Luke, Mark, and John and the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The manuscript was used for
ceremonial purposes to promote and celebrate the Christian religion and the word of God.
Reading
All religions must be tolerated for every man gets to heaven his own way
Historical Glimpse
Throughout British history religion has been closely connected with kings, queens and
politics. England was a Roman Catholic country until 1534. The various Christian
denominations in Britain are the result of the various -isms Anglicanism, Presbyterianism,
Protestantism, Puritanism, Calvinism etc that divided the Church. It is possible to make a very
general distinction on a geographical basis. The Church of England, or the Anglican Church is
still the established church in England, and the British monarch, at present Queen Elizabeth II,
has the constitutional title of Supreme Governor of the Church. In Scotland the Presbyterian
Church, called the kirk, is the established church and it is completely separate from the Church
of England. The Presbyterian Church is based on a strict form of Protestantism which was taught
by the French reformer, Calvin, and brought to Scotland by John Knox. The Methodists and
Baptists are particularly strong in Wales. Though there is complete religious freedom in Britain
today, there is still tension between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, where religion
is still caught up with politics.
Obviously, there are large minority groups adhering to other Christian teachings in each
country. There are also large Jewish communities, while immigrants from India, Pakistan and the
Middle East have also introduced Eastern religions. Indeed, it is now estimated that there are
more practicing Muslims than members of any Christian faith in Britain.
A Tale of Canterbury
Canterbury is a town in Kent. First and foremost it is famous as the religious capital of
England because its cathedral is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury who is the religious
Head of the Church of England. From the XII to the XV centuries, it was a place of pilgrimage.
Thousands of people came to pray at the shrine of a former Archbishop of Canterbury who was
murdered in the Cathedral in 1170. His name was Thomas Becket.
During the XII century, King Henry II decided that the Church had too much power. In
1162, he made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury, thinking that his friend would help
him weaken the position of the Church. Although the King himself liked Thomas, he was not
popular with other men in England. They were jealous of his friendship with the King, and they
also disliked him because he was not a nobleman. As Thomas was not even a priest, many
people were very angry that he had been made Archbishop.
44

The King was amazed when Thomas began to defend the position of the Church against
the King. After a while, Thomas had to leave England because relations between him and the
King had become very bad, and Thomas was afraid that he might be killed. He lived in exile for
five years until the King asked him to come back. The people, the bishops and the Pope were
causing the King problems because they all wanted Thomas to continue as Archbishop of
Canterbury.
When Thomas returned, in 1170, he brought authorization from the Pope to
excommunicate the priests and noblemen who had acted against him. The King was furious
when he learned this soon afterwards, four of Henrys knights entered Canterbury Cathedral
and murdered the Archbishop on the steps of the altar.
Three years later in 1173, Becket was made a saint, and his tomb became the destination
of thousands of pilgrims for three centuries. It was said that miracles happened there, and many
sick people went there in the hope of finding a cure.
In the XVI century, when King Henry VIII separated from the Roman Catholic Church
and established the Church of England, he said that Becket was no longer a saint, and his tomb
was destroyed.
The best-known Canterbury pilgrims are probably those who appear in the book by
Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales. It was written in the XIV century, when the
pilgrimage had become a rather pleasant holiday for the groups of people who travelled together
for protection and companionship. The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by the
members of a group of pilgrims. Through the stories we get a vivid picture not only of the
narrators themselves but also of the religious and social life of the XIV century. There were
twenty-nine pilgrims altogether, including a knight, a doctor, a miller, a middle-aged widow and
numerous members of religious orders of one kind or another.
The Pilgrims Way is the name of an old path starting at Winchester which, as
traditionally thought, was taken by pilgrims travelling to Canterbury. However, there is no real
evidence of this. You can still walk along some of the route called the North Downs Way which
is protected by law, so it cannot be ploughed by farmers or made into a motorway.
If you have the energy to follow the route as far as Canterbury, you will find that
although there is no tomb, Becket is not forgotten. His face and name are still there, on postcards
and souvenirs in every other shop.
The most famous modern pilgrim is without doubt Pope John Paul II. His visit to
Canterbury in 1982 was an important historical event because it showed the spirit of
understanding that exists now between the Roman Catholic and the Anglican Churches.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop Runcie, and the Pope knelt in silence on
Beckets steps just 817 years after his murder.
The Lords Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from the evil one.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
Post-Reading
A

Answer the questions on the text.

1. When did the Church of England separate from the Catholic Church of Rome?
2. Which are the established churches in the UK?
45

3. Who is the Head of the Church of England: the monarch or the Archbishop of
Canterbury?
4. Why was Canterbury chosen as a place of pilgrimage?
5. Who can be considered the most famous modern pilgrim?
6. Why was Thomas Becket disliked by common people?
7. What made the king so furious that he ordered to murder Becket?
8. What makes Chaucers The Canterbury Tales one of the most illustrative literary
works?
9. What is one of the best keepsakes to be brought from Canterbury?
B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. altar
2. cathedral
3. denomination
4. gospel
5. established church
6. excommunicate
7. pray
8. religious freedom
9. religious order
10. seat

a. a religious group or sect

b. the right to choose any particular faith or belief
c. a place where something is based, or an activity is carried on
d. to offer thanks or make requests to God
e. to exclude somebody as a punishment from membership of the
Christian Church
f. a group of people, especially monks or nuns, living under
religious rules
g. one of the four books according to St Matthew, St Luke, St
Mark, and St John in the Bible about Christs life
h. a table in Christian churches on which bread and wine are
blessed for communion
i. the main church of a district under the care of a bishop
j. a church made official for a country

C
The text Religion has different job names. Do you know what we call people who
do these jobs?
1. __________ is a bishop of a highest rank, responsible for all the churches belonging to a
religious group in a particular district.
2. __________ is a senior priest in charge of the work of the Church in a city or district.
3. __________ is a person appointed to perform religious duties and ceremonies in the Roman
Catholic, Orthodox or Anglican Church.
4. __________ is the head of the Roman Catholic Church who is also the Bishop of Rome.
5. __________ is a person declared to be holy by the Church because of her or his qualities or
good works.
6. __________ is a person who travels to a holy place for religious reasons to show respect to a
particular saint.
7. __________ is a man of noble rank with a duty to fight for the King.
8. __________ is a person who tells a story by giving a written or spoken account of it.
9. __________ is a person who has been trained in and practices medical science.
10. __________ is a person who owns or works a building with special apparatus for grinding
grain into flour.
D

Choose the right option.

1. Sally has many different roles, but _____ shes an adviser.

a. first and last
b. first and foremost
c. first and most
2. There seem to be fountains _____ corner of this park.
46

a. in every other
b. in every another
c. in all the other
3. I was shocked to learn that a church in Russia _____ a disco.
a. was based on
b. was founded at
c. was made into
4. The town offers entertainments of _____, but nothing like what youll find in the city.
a. one kind or other
b. one kind or another
c. one another kind
5. We left the house early _____ avoiding traffic jams.
a. hoping of
b. in the hope of
c. to hope to
6. Soon the top manager dismissed all the employees who had acted _____ her.
a. opposite
b. contrary
c. against
7. Saying that he had copied from her proved that she was _____ the success of his new book.
a. jealous of
b. jealously in
c. jealousy for
8. This is a very mixed neighbourhood, _____ racial and social differences.
a. caught up with
b. caught in for
c. caught from
9. His argument was built _____ discrimination that men are stronger than women.
a. under the basis of
b. in the basis of
c. on the basis of
10. As a politician, he has always been _____ journalists.
a. popular among
b. popular with
c. popularly about
Translate into English
1. , ,
,
.
2. ,
.
3. .
4. ,
.
5.
380- .
391 .
6. , .
7.
.
.
8. ,
.
9. , II ,
.
10. ,
, .
Extra Exploration
A

Fit the names of people, things and places in the text The Puritans.

After 1_____ became Queen, a group of Protestants wanted to purify 2_____ of all
3_____ influence. These people were called 4_____. They dressed very simply and believed that
all pleasures, such as fine clothes and the theatre, were wicked.
When 5_____ was King, the Puritans were often put in prison and sometimes even killed.
Some of them decided to leave 6_____ to find freedom in a new country.

47

They sailed from 7_____ in 1620 in a ship called 8_____, and these 9_____ as they
were called started a new life in America. The service which they held to thank 10_____ for
their arrival became a traditional annual festival in 11_____, called 12_____.
a. God
b. Thanksgiving
c. the Church of England
d. Roman Catholic
e. Plymouth
f. America
B

g. England
h. James I
i. Elizabeth
j. Pilgrim Fathers
k. the Mayflower
l. Puritans

Write the correct form of the verbs given in brackets.

The history of Anglo-Irish relations began with the colonization of Ireland by the
Normans under Henry II of England in the XII century. Over the next two centuries these
Norman settlers 1_____ (become) more Irish than the Irish, and it is possible that Ireland might
2_____ (end up) as a contented Anglo-Irish society under the British Crown. However, in the
XVI century Henry VIII 3_____ (quarrel) with Rome and 4_____ (declare) himself Head of the
Anglican Church. Resistance from Irish Catholics was strong but 5_____ (put down) by Henrys
armies. And so by 6_____ (try) to force Irish Catholics 7_____ (become) Anglican and by
8_____ (take) a lot of their land, Henry began the two lasting problems of Anglo-Irish relations
religion and land.
What he started 9_____ (continue) by his daughter Elizabeth I. Ulster was an especially
difficult area 10_____ (bring) under her rule. The soldiers of the province of Ulster successfully
11_____ (fight) against Elizabeths armies until 1603, but 12_____ (defeat) finally.
C

Fill in the gaps in this text with the words and phrases from the list below.

One of the new questions in the 2001 1_____ of Great Britain was about religion. On the
form, there were 2_____ for Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, and None.
Then there was a space for Any Other Religion. And more than 390,000 people wrote 3_____
in it, a reference to the belief system at the heart of the Star War film series. These answers
followed an 4_____ which claimed that if enough people wrote Jedi on their form, it would
become a fully recognized and legal religion. This is wrong. It is not up to the 5_____ in Britain,
which organizes the census, or the government itself, to recognize or 6_____ to recognize, a
religion.
You might think the people at the ONS would have been unhappy about this 7_____ of
an official activity. And indeed, when they analyzed the responses to the religion question, they
did not count Jedi among the Any Other Religion category 8_____ in the None one.
Nevertheless, they were actually quite happy about it. Director of reporting and 9_____ at the
ONS, John Pullinger said: The Jedi campaign may have worked 10_____ the census. Census
agencies worldwide report difficulties encouraging those 11_____ to complete their forms. We
suspect that the Jedi response was most common in 12_____ this age group.
in their late teens and twenties
Office of National Statistics (ONS)
analysis

internet campaign
precisely
but rather

census
trivialization
tick boxes
Jedi
in favour of refuse

Food for Thought and Talk

1. How has the relation between church and government in your country changed
historically?
48

2. Do you agree that the world and everything in it was created by a divine force?
3. What do you think being religious means?
Food for Writing
Writing techniques
A survey report is normally a formal piece of writing. A good survey report should consist of:
a. an introduction in which you state the purpose and content of your report;
b. a main body in which all information collected on the topic is presented in detail. You can
use sub-headings, numbers or letters to separate each piece of information;
c. a conclusion in which you summarize all points mentioned above. Your recommendation or
suggestion(s) can be included as well.
Points to consider:
a. decide the main heading of the report, then carefully plan the information you will include in
your report and divide it into sub-headings;
b. present tenses should be used in survey reports to introduce generalizations. Use a variety of
reporting verbs such as: state, report, agree, claim, complain etc to introduce reported speech;
c. use expressions such as: one in five, seven out of ten, thirty per cent of the people questioned,
the majority of those questioned, a large proportion of, a minority of etc to report the results of
the survey;
d. facts may be supported by generalizations.
Linking words
To express reality
To clarify/rephrase

It is a fact that; In effect; In fact; As a matter of fact; Actually; In

practice; Indeed; To tell you the truth
In other words; That is to say; To put it another way

A
The following women are highly regarded for their humanitarianism and charity
work, volunteering their time to help the poor. Choose one, do research on the Internet and
then write a report about your findings.
Lady Diana
Mother Teresa
Celine Dion
Angelina Jolie
Oprah Winfrey
B
Interview several people of different ages in your city and ask them the following
questions about their religion. Compare your findings with your classmates findings, and
draw a table showing your survey results.

very important
%

How important is religion in your life?

fairly important
not very important
%
%

very often
%

How often do you attend religious services?

fairly often
not very often
%
%

no opinion
%

never
%

49

Snap before Nap

An Ancient Legend of Stolen Church Bells in Dorset
According to local lore, the treasured church bells of Dorset have a habit of disappearing.
The Knowlton church bell apparently fell victim to this phenomenon when the congregation
woke one morning to find the bell tower empty. Some accusations claimed the bell had been
installed in the churches of nearby villages, while many favoured the tale that the devil himself
stole the bell and flung it into a nearby stream.
The real thieves most likely planned to sell the bell from Knowlton church overseas as
the metal would have been valuable. Caught in the act and chased as far as nearby White Mill,
they tossed it from a bridge into a river. Sinking fast in the mud, the bell proved too heavy for
the locals to retrieve and, for all we know, it may still be there today.
A traditional verse tells the tale of the stolen church bell:
Knowlton bell is stole,
And thrown into White Mill hole
Where all the devils in hell
Could never pull up Knowlton bell.
Knowlton had been a thriving village until a plague wiped it out in 1485. The church
continued to function until it finally fell into disrepair towards the end of the XVIII century.
Though the location of the church was once a site of Pagan ceremonial importance, the
construction of a church on the same site may signal a deliberate attempt to Christianize the land
in the XII century.
By day, the now ruined church rests peacefully. When evening comes, shadows hug the
contours of its forgotten arches and windows that resemble sleeping bodies under the dew-laden
blanket. The church sets sail like a ghost ship across the waves of the river and two ageless yew
trees stand sentinel in the fading light. As branches creak despite the still night air, it is easy to
believe that an unearthly visitor really was aboard on the night Knowlton bell disappeared.
Hidden Rules of English Behaviour
Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.

-
, , ,
. ,
, ,
.
(wit), ,
, (mockery), (ridicule over
pomposity),
(interaction) .
, , ,
, ,
, -, , .
, ,
, ,
, , .
, -, , ,
(discourage). ,
, , ,
50

 ,
.

, (obstacle)
(the importance of not being earnest)
.

. ,
. ,
(enthusiasm) , . ,
(zeal) ,
(bore) .
.

. ,
(needless, unnecessary) .
,
(complain) , ,
, . ,
,
(simulated boredom)
.
,
. , , ,
. ,
(plume oneself on) (erudition), ,
(put on airs).
, ,
, (impassive), ,
.
, (odd jobs),
.
- ,
, ,
, .

51

Unit 5

Political Life

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. amend (v) , e.g. The law was amended to include women. to

amend a bill ; amendment (n) , ;
to make (to reject) an amendmemt to the bill (resolution) ()
(); amended (adj) ; an amended version

2. confer (v) , ; to confer a title (a degree, an honour)
(, ); to confer knighthood
3. coverage , ; to give coverage to
candidates
4. elect (v) , (); to be elected president
; he was elected chairman ; to be elected
by secret ballot ; election (n) ; general
election ; by-election ; presidential
election(s) ; to stand for an election c ;
election results ; election committee ;
electorate (n) ; elective (adj) ; elective office
5. lawmaking (n) ; lawmaker (n)
6. legislative (executive, judicial) body (, )
; legislative (executive, judicial) power (, )

7. power (n) , , , ; absolute power ;

limited power(s) ; to be in power ; to come (to rise)
to power ; to take (to seize power) x ; a party in power
; superpower ; the Great Powers ;
leading (nuclear) powers () ; hereditary (elective) power
, ( ); powerful (adj) ,
; a powerful country
8. preside (v) ; to preside at (over) a meeting
; presiding (adj) ; presiding
official ee
9. reading (n) ( ); first (second, third) reading
(, ) e.g. The bill was rejected at the second reading.
10. resign (v) , ; to resign office
; to resign from the abinet ; the Cabinet
resigned ; resignation (n) ,
, ; to hand in ones resignation ;
demand sbs resignation ; resigned (adj)
B

Political Awareness

The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy. This means that it has a monarch (a
king or a queen) as its Head of State who is not absolute but constitutional. The monarchs
powers are limited by Parliament and the power is hereditary but not elective.
In one important respect England differs from most other countries. Her constitution is to
a large extent unwritten. It is not one document, as are the Constitutions of many countries. And
so the country is often said to have an unwritten constitution.
52

Some of the written parts of the countrys constitution are laws passed by Parliament.
Some written parts come from such historic documents as Magna Carta. Others come from
common law, i.e. a body of laws and judgements based on peoples customs and beliefs.
C

Partisan Awareness

There are many political parties in Britain but throughout the whole country, there are
three dominant political parties: Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats.
Observe the chart and fill in the columns Partys Name, Partys Ideology and Partys
Supporters using the characteristics given below.
Partys Name

Partys Logo

Partys Ideology

Partys Supporters

The party is historically allied to Trade Unions. It stands for equality, the weaker people
in society and more governmental involvement in the economy. The partys current icon is the
red and white rose, a traditional European socialist symbol. The party colour used in election
materials is red. It is backed by working class, plus a small middle-class intelligentsia.
It is a social liberal political party often known as Whigs, which supports constitutional,
electoral and banking reform, human rights laws and civil liberties. The party is strongly
Europhile supporting greater European integration. The partys logo is the Flying Bird of
Liberty and the colour is gold. Its traditional supporters are from middle-class.
It is the largest party in the House of Commons often known as Tories. It is a political
party whose guiding principles include the promotion of private property and enterprise, the
maintenance of a strong military and preservation of traditional cultural values and institutions. It
is Eurosceptic in its majority. The party icon is a childs drawing of a tree, supposedly an attempt
to emphasize its environmental credentials. The party colour is blue. Its traditional voters are the
richer sections of society and most donations come from business people.

53

Election Procedure

The law says that general elections in UK have to take place at least every five years.
Anyone over 21 who is entitled to vote (except for clergymen, civil servants, felons and
bankrupts) can stand as a candidate.
Media gives coverage to each candidate. Any attempt at improperly influencing voters is
outlawed.
Fill in the gaps in the text about the formal conduct of a British election with the words and
phrases from the box below.
After the date for the election has been fixed, nominations for candidates are invited in
each 1_____. In order to get their names on the 2_____, candidates have to deposit 500 with the
3_____ (the person responsible for the conduct of the election in each constituency). They get
this money back if they get five per cent of the votes or more. They can also, if they wish,
indicate their political affiliation after their names on the 4_____.
About three weeks later, the election takes place. It is not a public holiday. On 5_____,
which is always a Thursday, the 6_____ open at seven in the morning. To be eligible to vote, a
person must be at least eighteen years old and be on the 7_____. This is compiled every year for
each 8_____ separately. Nobody is obliged to vote. Members of the Royal Family and lunatics
are not allowed to vote. Each voter has to vote at a particular 9_____. After being ticked off on
the 10_____, the voter is given a blank 11_____ which he or she takes to a 12_____. There, he
or she makes a choice by putting an X next to the name of one candidate and then drops the
marked 13_____ into a 14_____.
The 15_____ close at ten in the evening. Then, all the 16_____ are taken to a central
place in the constituency, where they are opened and the 17_____ begins. When all the votes
have been counted, the 18 _____ makes a public announcement of the number of votes cast for
each candidate and declares the winner to be the 19_____ for the 20_____.
ballot box
ballot boxes
electoral register (2x)
polls (2x)
polling booth

ballot paper (4x)

MP
polling day

constituency (3x)
count
Returning Officer (2x)
polling station

Reading
Politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians
British Politics
The lack of enthusiasm for politicians in Britain expressed in the saying above comes to
prove that politicians in this country do not have a good reputation. To describe someone who is
not a professional politician as a politician is to criticize him or her, suggesting a lack of
trustworthiness. It is not that people hate their politicians. They just regard them with a high
degree of suspicion.
The organs of government in the UK are:
the legislative body, which enacts laws (the two Houses of Parliament);
the executive body, which puts the passed laws into effect and plans policy (the Prime
Minister and the Cabinet);
the judicial body, which interprets laws and statutes; it is independent of the legislative
and executive bodies.
The Legislature
Parliament is the supreme legislative authority and consists of three separate elements:
the Sovereign, the House of Lords and the elected House of Commons. The Monarch is the
personal embodiment of the government of the country. The powers of the Monarch are not
defined precisely. Theoretically every act of government is done in the Queens name every
54

letter sent out by a government department is marked On Her Majestys Service. She appoints
all the ministers including the Prime Minister. It is the Queen who summons and dissolves the
Parliament before general elections. In reality, everything is done on the advice of the elected
Government, and the Monarch takes no part in the decision-making process.

The State Opening of Parliament

The House of Commons is an assembly elected by almost universal adult suffrage. They
are elected by secret ballot for five-year terms. There are 650 Members of Parliament (MPs)
each member representing one of the 650 geographical areas (constituencies) into which the
country is divided for electoral purposes. If an MP dies, resigns or is made a peer, a by-election
is held in that constituency to elect a new MP. Leaders of the Government and Opposition sit on
the front benches in the House of Commons (front-benchers) and their supporters behind them
(backbenchers).
The Speaker presides over the Houses debates, determining which members may speak.
The Speaker is also responsible for maintaining order during debate, and may punish members
who break the rules of the House. Unlike presiding officers of legislatures in many other
countries, the Speaker remains strictly non-partisan, and renounces all affiliation with his/her
former political party when taking office. The Speaker does not take part in debate or vote. In
fact, the Speaker is, officially, the second most important commoner in the kingdom after the
Prime Minister. Hundreds of years ago, it was the Speakers job to communicate the decisions of
the Commons to the King. As the King was often displeased with what the Commons had
decided, this was not a pleasant task. As a result, nobody wanted the job. They had to be forced
to take it. These days, the position is a much safer one, but the tradition of dragging an unwilling
Speaker to the chair has remained. The occasion in 1992 was the first time that a woman, Betty
Boothroyd, had been appointed Speaker, so MPs had to get used to addressing not Mr. Speaker
but Madam Speaker instead.
Only four members of the House of Commons have reserved seats. One is the Speaker,
another is the member who sat in the House for the longest unbroken period, known as Father of
the House of Commons. The other two reserved seats are for the Prime Minister and the leader
of the Opposition.
The major part of Parliaments work is revising the Governments work. Another
important parliamentary task is law-making. A bill (a proposal of a new law) is brought before
the House for readings. After passing all the three stages (readings), the bill with all the
amendments goes to the House of Lords. If the Lords agree to a bill, it is placed before the
Queen for signature. When the Queen signs it, it becomes an Act of Parliament.
The House of Lords is probably the only upper House in the democratic world whose
members are not elected. It is made up of the Lords Spiritual consisting of the representatives of
the Church of England and the Lords Temporal comprising all hereditary and life peers (life
peers do not pass on their title when they die). All proposals must have the agreement of the
Lords before they can become law.
The House of Lords is independent from and compliments the work of the House of
Commons they share responsibility for law-making and checking government action. Unlike
the House of Commons the new members of the House of Lords are appointed. No person may

55

sit in the House of Lords if he is under the age of 21. Only the citizens of the UK,
Commonwealth and Ireland may sit in the House of Lords.
The House of Lords, in addition to having a legislative function, historically had also a
judicial function. During the XX and early XXI centuries, the judicial functions were gradually
removed and in 2009 the Supreme Court of the UK assumed these functions. The Law Lords sit
as judges on the Supreme Court of the UK.
From the Middle Ages up to 2006, the House of Lords had been presided over by the
Lord Chancellor. At present the Lord Chancellor is a Cabinet minister and currently a member of
the House of Commons. Recent reforms including the creation of the Ministry of Justice and the
election of the first Lord Speaker for the House of Lords have significantly altered the role of the
Lord Chancellor.
The Executive
The executive power is exercised by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. The leader of
the party which obtains a majority of seats in a general election is named Prime Minister (PM)
and is formally asked by the Sovereign to recommend a group of ministers to form a
Government. He chooses 20 or so MPs who run the different government departments the
ministries. They make up the Cabinet, which is the real governing body of the country. The
largest minority party becomes the official Opposition with its own leader and own Shadow
Cabinet. The Opposition criticizes, attempts to amend or oppose the bills introduced by the
Government.
The position of a British Prime Minister is in direct contrast to that of the monarch.
Although the Queen appears to have a great deal of power, in reality she has very little. The PM,
on the other hand, appears not to have much power but in reality has a very great deal indeed.
The monarchs powers to appoint people to all kinds of jobs and to confer honours on
people are actually the PMs powers.
The PMs official residence is at 10 Downing Street. The Cabinet meets here in private
and its proceedings are confidential.
Parliament in London is responsible for deciding national policy, but many public
services are provided by local government. The UK is divided into administrative areas known
as counties and each county has a county town where the offices of the local government are
located. Local government is responsible for organizing such services as education, libraries,
police and fire services, road-building and many others.
The Judiciary
The countrys judges form the judiciary.
The civil justice system has its own courts. All civil cases go through County Courts and
High Courts. Such cases as personal injuries, debt, racial and sexual discrimination, and divorce
are conducted in the County Court.
More serious civil cases (adoption and wardship, defamation, compensation claims, wills
and bankruptcies) go to the High Court.
In criminal justice system there are two kinds of court: Magistrates Courts and Crown
Courts. More than 90% of all criminal cases are dealt with in Magistrates Courts. Magistrates,
who are also known as Justices of the Peace (JPs), are not trained lawyers; they are lay people
having no legal qualifications.
In Britain there are two kinds of lawyers: solicitors and barristers. Typically, the solicitors
are the ones who deal with the public; anybody who needs legal advice goes to see a solicitor.
But if a case is to be heard in a higher court, the solicitor hires the services of the other kind of
lawyer a barrister. In the popular image, barristers are in some sense senior to solicitors, more
highly educated and so, perhaps, better. Unlike solicitors, they are mostly self-employed and
have a prestige similar to that of doctors.
Wherever possible, magistrates and judges try not to imprison people. This costs the state
money, the countrys prisons are already overcrowded and prisons have a reputation for being
schools for crime. If it is someones first offence, and the crime is a small one, even a guilty
56

person can go free without punishment. The next step up the ladder is a conditional discharge
and/or a conditional (suspended) sentence. This means that the guilty person is set free but if he
or she commits another crime within a stated time, the first crime will be taken into account. A
very common form of punishment for minor offences is a fine or community service.
As in the rest of Europe, there is no death penalty in Britain but for treason. It was
abolished in 1969. For murderers, there is an obligatory life sentence.
Post-Reading
A

Decide whether these statements are false or true. Correct those which are false.
1. The United Kingdom is a constitutional republic.
2. The Executive is the branch of the government that is concerned with putting important
decisions and laws into effect.
3. The Speaker is the only person in the House of Commons who makes laws.
4. Betty Boothroyd was not the only woman Speaker in the House of Commons. She was
preceded by Margaret Thatcher.
5. Both hereditary and life peers are entitled to pass on their title to their heirs when they
die.
6. The leader of the party which wins in general elections is named Prime Minister.
7. Cabinet ministers meet at 10 Downing Street, the Prime Ministers official residence.
8. Every British subject over 18 who is resident of Britain can stand as a candidate.
9. People do not have to work on a general election day in Britain.
10. Magistrates, who are also known as Justices of the Peace, are trained lawyers.

B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. adult suffrage
2. common law
3. constituency
4. affiliation
5. the executive power
6. the judicial power
7. lay people
8. the legislative power
9. partisan
10. Euro-phile /sceptic

a. a district that has its own elected representative in government

b. people who do not have expert knowledge of a subject
c. somebody especially a politician who is for or against the EU
and closer relations with other European countries
d. the branch of government concerned with putting decisions and
laws into effect
e. laws and judgements based on peoples customs and beliefs
f. strongly supporting a political party
g. the right of all adults to vote
h. the branch of government concerned with making of laws
i. the connection or involvement that somebody has with a political
organization
j. the branch of government concerned with courts

C
Choose the necessary word to complete the second sentence, so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. You may need to add some words and make changes.
compliment preside
provide
confer

adopt
appoint

assume
senior

unbroken
defamation

1. She was known as the queen who reigned continuously for a long period.
She was the queen whose reign ________________________.
2. The article attempts to attack the good reputation of an honest man.
The article is an attempt at ________________________ an honest man.
57

3. Many British families are legally and permanently taking Romanian orphans into their
families and treating them as if they were their own children.
Romanian orphans ________________________.
4. T. H. Baker Esq. was chairing the meeting at Halling Institute.
The meeting was held at Halling Institute and ________________________.
5. The Government officially chose a committee to consider changes to the Prison Service.
A committee to consider changes to the Prison Service ________________________.
6. Although technically I am in a higher position than Smith we do more or less the same job.
Smith and I do more or less the same job ________________________.
7. His new discoveries added a lot to the work of the whole team.
The work of the whole team ________________________.
8. Local government makes primary education available to those who need it.
Local government is responsible ________________________ primary education.
9. The university has officially given honorary degrees to several prime ministers.
Several prime ministers ________________________.
10. Whoever they appoint will become managing director.
Whoever they appoint will ________________________ of managing director.
D
Find words and expressions in the Pre-Reading and Reading passages which have
the following definitions.
1. to officially end a law, system etc, especially one that has existed for a long time
2. someone or something that represents or is very typical of an idea or quality
3. to publicly say or show that you no longer keep an official position, title, right etc
4. the crime of being disloyal to your country or its government, especially by helping its
enemies
5. when people have money and everything that is needed for a good life
6. something, especially money, that you give to a person or an organization in order to help
them
7. to be related to something or to be very similar
8. money that you have to pay as a punishment
9. to have the official right to do or have something
10. to consider particular facts or details when making a decision
E

Use the correct form of the words in D to complete the given sentences.

1. _____ the reporter actually _____ to access personal and financial records?
2. The Save the Children Campaign has raised more than a million pounds through private
_____.
3. The policy of the political leader of that country can be qualified as _____ of evil.
4. Two men are charged with committing _____ against the state, for which the maximum
penalty is death.
5. _____ the global crisis, politicians should meditate on the economic condition of their country.
6. There are strong trade unions in most of the motor and _____ industries.
7. The countrys _____ comes from the discovery of oil in that region.
8. There have been calls for the monarchy _____.
9. After five years in Britain, she _____ her citizenship.
10. There are heavy _____ for drink driving. You might even go to prison.

58

Translate into English

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2.
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Extra Exploration
A

Put the paragraphs in the text Guy Fawkes and Bonfire Night in the right order.

a.
A small group took shape, under the leadership of Robert Catesby. The thing to do was to
blow up the Houses of Parliament. In doing so, they would kill the King, who entered the
building once a year for the opening ceremony, and the Members of the Parliament who were
making life difficult for them.
b.
Guy Fawkes, who was in the cellar of the parliament with the 36 barrels of gunpowder
when the authorities stormed it in the early hours of 5 November, 1605, was caught, tortured and
executed.
c.
But as the group worked on the plot, it became clear that innocent people would be hurt
or killed in the attack. Some of the plotters started having second thoughts. One of the group
members even sent an anonymous letter warning his friend, Lord Monteagle to stay away from
the place.
d.
After Queen Elizabeth I died in 1603, English Catholics who had been persecuted under
her rule hoped that her successor, James I, would be more tolerant of their religion.
Unfortunately, he wasnt and a number of young men, 13 to be exact, decided that violent action
was the answer.
e.
Since then this date has become known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated
every year with fireworks and burning the effigies of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire.
f.
To carry out their plan, the conspirators got hold of 36 barrels of gunpowder and stored
them in a cellar, just under the House of Lords.

59

B
Read the text, then find the words or phrases the definitions of which are given
below.
In the spring of 2003, a new EU directive came out of Brussels which attempted to
standardize leeks. Yes, leeks. Not exactly a subject to set the pulses racing, you might think. But
that is exactly what it did in one part of Britain. Of all the features of the EU, its enthusiasm for
standardization is the one which the British feel most negatively about. Regulations and
uniformity are two things for which the British harbour a particular distaste.
However, regulations about things like food products are basically trivial matters. So
most of the time, the British just shrug their shoulders in resentful resignation when a new one
appears and then get on with their lives. But the directive about leeks made some British people
incandescent with rage. You see, the leek is the national plant of Wales. It is not that the Welsh
are especially fond of this vegetable, but as a national symbol they nevertheless identify with it.
So they did not take kindly to bureaucrats from Brussels telling them what size and shape it
ought to be without consulting them first.
But that is only the half of it. With breathtaking insensitivity, the EU promulgated this
directive on the first of March. This happens to be St Davids Day, and St David is the patron
saint of Wales. The Welsh thus felt they had been dealt a double slap in the face.
1. make people very excited
2. the state of being the same in all cases and at all times
3. to keep ones bad feelings or thoughts in ones mind for a long time
4. a feeling that something/somebody is unpleasant or unacceptable
5. unimportant, small
6. unhappy, grumbling
7. patient willingness to accept or endure something
8. as angry as a person can possibly be
9. extreme anger
10. astonishing, very shocking
11. the state of not caring how other people feel and offending them
12. to announce a new law officially
13. a rejection or an insult
C

Choose the right option to complete the text The State Opening of Parliament.

At the annual state opening of Parliament, a traditional ceremony

which reminds MPs of their special state/status and their togetherness takes place. Black
Rod, a servant of the Queen knocks on the door of the House of Commons and demands that the
MPs let the Queen come/to come in and tell them what her government is going to do in the
coming year. The Commons always refuse her entrance/entry. This is because in the XVII
century, Charles I once burst/bursted into the chamber and tried to arrest some MPs. Ever since
then/than, the monarch has not been allowed to enter the Commons. Instead of/Instead, the
MPs agree to come to the House of Lords and listen to the monarch there. According to/By
tradition they always enter in pairs, each pair comprising MPs from two/too different parties.

60

Food for Thought and Talk

1. How does the role of political parties in Britain differ from their role in your country?
2. What is the implication of the following quotations:
Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build bridges, even when there are no
rivers.
If you want something said, ask a man if you want something done, ask a woman.
Food for Writing
Writing techniques
There are various types of letters such as: letters of complaint, letters asking for/giving
information, letters of request, letters asking for/giving advice, letters of invitation, letters
accepting/refusing invitations, letters expressing congratulations/thanks/regret/sympathy, letters
giving news, letters of apology, letters of application for a job and letters to the editor providing
solutions/suggestions.
A good letter should consist of:
a. an appropriate greeting (Dear Jim, Dear Mr. Parker, Dear Sir/Madam,);
b. an introduction clearly stating the reason you are writing;
c. a main body in which the subject is developed. Begin a new paragraph for each main point;
d. a final paragraph in which you sum up the topic or express your wish for something to be
done;
e. an appropriate ending (Yours/Best wishes, + first name, Yours sincerely,/Yours faithfully, +
full name).
Style in letters
The characteristics of formal style in letters are:
a. the greeting (Dear Mrs. Williams, Dear Sir);
b. frequent use of the passive;
c. formal language (complex sentences, non-colloquial English);
d. no abbreviated forms;
e. the ending (Yours sincerely,/Yours faithfully, Virginia Evans)
The characteristics of informal style in letters are:
a. the greeting (Dear Emma, Dear Granny);
b. informal language and style (idioms, colloquial English);
c. abbreviated forms, pronouns omitted;
d. the ending (Yours/Love/Best wishes/Regards, Tony)
Linking words
To give examples
To express similarity

For instance; For example; such as; like; particularly; in particular;

especially
similarly; likewise; in the same way

A
Imagine you are a reporter. If you interviewed a politician, what would you ask
him/her about his/her political career? Write your questions down and look on the Internet
to find the answers. Then write a short summary of his/her answers.
B
Describe a recent event in your country. Write a letter to the editor of a newspaper
expressing your opinion and providing suggestions.

61

Snap before Nap

Traditions of Parliament
A number of traditions are involved in the working of Parliament.
Dragging the Speaker of the House of Commons
When a new Speaker of the House of Commons is elected, the successful candidate is
physically dragged to the Chair by other MPs. This custom has its roots in the Speakers function
to communicate the Commons opinions to the monarch. Historically, if the monarch didnt
agree with the message being communicated then the early death of the Speaker could follow.
Therefore, previous Speakers required some gentle persuasion to accept the post.
Voting
When MPs vote in the Commons they say aye or no. In the Lords, Members vote
saying content or not content.
Prayers
Each sitting in both Houses begins with prayers that follow the Christian faith. In the
Commons a priest, the Speakers Chaplain usually reads the prayers. In the Lords the prayers are
read by a senior bishop, Lord Spiritual.
Catching the Speakers Eye
To participate in a debate in the House of Commons or at question time, MPs have to be
called by the Speaker. MPs usually rise or half-rise from their seats in a bid to get the Speakers
attention. This is known as catching the Speakers eye.
The Woolsack in the House of Lords

The Woolsack is the seat of the Lord Speaker in the

House of Lords. It is a large, wool-stuffed cushion covered with red cloth; it has neither a back
nor arms. The Lords Mace is placed on the rear part of the Woolsack.
Introduced in the XIV century, the seat was originally stuffed with English wool, which,
due to the importance of the wool trade, was a symbol of the nations prosperity. Over the years
its stuffing changed to hair but in 1938 it was restuffed with wool from the various nations of the
Commonwealth, in order to symbolize Commonwealth unity.
The Lord Speaker on the Woolsack
The Lord Speaker speaks from the Woolsack when speaking in his or her capacity as
Speaker of the House. But if he or she seeks to debate, deliver his or her remarks, he or she
speaks either from the left side of the Woolsack, or from the normal seats of the Lords. If a
Deputy Speaker presides in the absence of the Lord Speaker, then that individual uses the
Woolsack.
Judges Woolsack
In front of the Woolsack is an even larger cushion known as the Judges Woolsack.
During the State Opening of Parliament, the Judges Woolsack is occupied by senior judges.
This is a reminder of medieval Parliaments, when judges attended to offer legal advice. The seat,
however, is by no means restricted to judges only; during normal sittings, any Lord may occupy
it.

62

Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

Render in English.

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63

 . , .
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UNIT 6

Monarchy and Royalty

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. abdicate (v) e.g. The king was forced to abdicate the throne.
abdication (n) ; The Abdication
(1936 ), VIII ,

2. on sbs advice - e.g. He was used to acting on his fathers advice.

3. on behalf of e.g. He undertook a number of duties on behalf of his mother.
4. charity (n) , , e.g. The
children raised over 2000 for charity. to go to charity ; to
act as patron to charities ;
Charity begins at home , . charitable (adj)
,
5. crown (n) , (, ); the Crown ,
e.g. The treaty of Troyes made Henry V heir to the Crown of France. Crown Jewels
; Crown Prince/Princess c/ , /
; crown (v) , ; to crown sb (as) king/queen e.g. In 1896
Nicholas was crowned as Tsar. to be crowned ; crowned head /
e.g. All the crowned heads of Europe were present. coronation (n)
6. inherit (v) ; to inherit by default
; heir (n) ; rightful heir ; heir
apparent , ; heir presumptive

7. monarchy (n) e.g. The people are going to question the role of the monarchy
more and more. absolute (constitutional/limited) monarchy (
/) ; hereditary monarchy ; to set up
(establish) monarchy ; to overthrow a monarchy
; the abolition of the monarchy ; monarch (n) ,
; monarchical (adj) ,
8. royal (adj) , ; the royal family ; the royal
power ; Royal Highness ; royal assent
; the royal we /
; royal etiquette e.g. The way she behaved was thought to be breach
of royal etiquette. royalty (n) , ,

9. rule (n) , , e.g. Many of the countries that were once

under the British rule are now independent. during the rule of George III
III; rule (v) , e.g. Queen Victoria ruled England for 64
years. rule over e.g. Alexander the Great ruled over a huge empire. ruling (adj)
; ruling class ; ruler (n)
10. throne (n) , ; to sit (to be) on the throne , ; to
come to (to accede to, to ascend, to take) the throne ; to lose the throne
; to usurp th throne ; an heir
64

to the throne ; the power behind the throne ; next

in line to the throne
B

Language Awareness

A monarchy is a system of government based on rule by one man or woman (king or

queen) who is head of state and also personifies the state, the law etc. The root is Greek monos
meaning one.
Royalty derives from the Latin Rex, regis. It means pertaining to a king. The Modern
English word Royalty refers to the members of a royal family.
C

Cultural Awareness

The 2010 Oscar winner, The Kings Speech is a British historical drama film directed
by Tom Hooper and written by David Seidler.

Cast:
Colin Firth
as
King George VI/Prince Albert, Duke of York
Geoffrey Rush
as
Lionel Logue
Helena Bonham Carter
as
Elizabeth, Duchess of York/Queen Elizabeth
Michael Gambon
as
King George V
Guy Pearce
as
Edward, Prince of Wales/King Edward VIII
Eve Best
as
Wallis Simpson
Synopsis:
The film opens with Prince Albert, Duke of York, the second son of King George V,
stammering through his closing speech at the 1925 British Empire Exhibition at Wembley
Stadium, with his wife, Elizabeth, Duchess of York, by his side. The Duke despairs after several
unsuccessful treatments, until his wife persuades him to see Lionel Logue, an Australian speech
therapist in London. During their first session, Logue requests that they address each other by
their Christian names a breach of royal etiquette and proceeds to call the prince Bertie. To
persuade him to follow his treatment, Logue bets Prince Albert a shilling that he can read
perfectly at that very moment, and gives Hamlets To Be or Not to Be to read aloud with
Beethovens music blaring in his ears so that he cannot hear himself. Logue records Berties
reading on a gramophone record. Convinced he has stammered throughout, Bertie leaves
declaring his condition hopeless. Logue offers him the recording as a keepsake.
After King George V makes his 1934 Christmas address, he explains to his son how
important broadcasting is to the modern monarchy. He declares that Edward, Prince of Wales,
Prince Alberts elder brother, will bring ruin to the family and the country as king. King George
demands that Albert train himself, starting with a reading of his fathers speech. After an
agonizing attempt to do so, Prince Albert plays Logues recording and hears himself making an
65

unbroken recitation of Shakespeare. While they work together Logue gently probes the
psychological roots of his stuttering. The Duke soon reveals some of the pressures of his
childhood: his strict father, the repression of his natural left-handedness, a painful treatment for
his knock-knees; a nanny who favoured his elder brother Edward, Prince of Wales; an early
death of his little brother Prince John. As the treatment progresses, the two men become friends
and confidants.
In 1936 George V dies, and Edward accedes to the throne as King Edward VIII, still
wanting to marry Wallis Simpson, a socialite American divorcee. Prince Albert points out that
Edward cannot marry a divorced woman and be King of England and thus Head of the Church of
England. Edward accuses his brother of a medieval-style plot to usurp his throne, cites his speech
lessons as an attempt to ready himself and resurrects his childhood taunt of B-B-B-Bertie.
The Duke is frustrated that his speech has improved while talking to most people except
his own brother. Logue insists that Albert could be king. Outraged, he accuses Logue of treason,
causing a rift in their friendship. When his elder brother does abdicate to marry Mrs. Simpson,
Bertie ultimately becomes King George VI. The new king realizes that he needs Logues help;
he and the queen visit the Logues home to apologize.
The new king relies on Logue to help him make his first radio broadcast in 1939.
The King steps onto the balcony of the palace with his family, where thousands of
Londoners have gathered to listen, cheer and applaud.
Reading
Its vital that the monarchy keeps in touch with the people
Monarchy
The British Sovereign can be seen as having two roles: Head of State, and Head of the
Nation. As Head of State, The Queen undertakes constitutional and representational duties which
have developed over one thousand years of history. There are inward duties, with The Queen
playing a part in state functions in Britain: Parliament must be opened, Orders in Council have to
be approved, Acts of Parliament must be signed, and meetings with the Prime Minister must be
held.
There are also outward duties of state, when The Queen represents Britain to the rest of
the world. For example, The Queen receives foreign ambassadors and high commissioners,
entertains visiting Heads of State, and makes state visits overseas to other countries, in support of
diplomatic and economic relations.
The UK is a constitutional monarchy. Today the Queen is only a formal ruler and does
not actually govern. Parliament and the monarch have different roles in the government of the
country, and they only meet together on symbolic occasions such as the coronation of a new
monarch or the opening of Parliament. Every autumn at the State Opening of Parliament,
Elizabeth II enters the Houses of Parliament to make a speech. This takes place in the House of
Lords and the Queen is not allowed to enter the House of Commons. This tradition goes back to
the time of Charles I, more than three hundred years ago, and reminds everybody that the
monarch must not try to govern the country. Crowned and wearing many of the finest Crown
Jewels, she makes her speech from the Throne in the House of Lords. In her speech she says
what my government intends to do in the coming year. And indeed, it is her government, not
the peoples.
In practice, the reality is different. The powers of the queen of Great Britain are only
constitutional. They are limited by Parliament. Although she appoints all the ministers, including
the Prime Minister, everything is done, however, on the advice of the elected Government, and
the monarch takes no part in the decision-making process. In reality, the Prime Minister is the
actual ruler.
She must give Royal assent before a bill, which has passed all its stages in both Houses of
Parliament becomes legal. All titles and honours such as peerages, knighthoods are conferred by

66

her, on her ministers advice. The Queen has the power to conclude treaties, to declare war and
to make peace, to recognize foreign states and governments.
Other countries have citizens. But in Britain people are legally described as subjects
subjects of Her Majesty the Queen. Moreover, there is a principle of English law that the
monarch can do nothing that is legally wrong. In other words, Queen Elizabeth is above the law.
Heir Apparent versus Heir Presumptive
An heir apparent or heiress apparent is a person who is first in line to the throne and
cannot be displaced from inheriting. An heir presumptive, by contrast, can always be bumped
down by the birth of somebody more closely related in a legal sense to the current title-holder.
The clearest example occurs in the case of a title-holder with no children. If at any time
they produce children, they (the offspring of the title-holder) rank ahead of whatever more
distant relative (the title-holders sibling, perhaps, or a nephew or cousin) who previously was
heir presumptive.
Daughters (and their heirs) may inherit titles but only in default of sons (and their heirs).
That is, both female and male offspring have the right to a throne, peerage or some other honour
in the order of succession, but when it comes to it, a female will rank behind her brothers
regardless of their ages or hers. Thus, normally, even an only daughter will not be her fathers
(or mothers) heiress apparent, since at any time a brother might be born who, though younger,
would be heir apparent.
Today terms heir apparent and heir presumptive commonly describe heirs to monarchies.
They are also used metaphorically to indicate an anointed successor to any position of power,
e.g. a political leader.
Most monarchies give the heir apparent the title of Crown Prince or a specific title, such
as Prince of Orange in the Netherlands or Prince of Wales in the UK.
2011 Proposals to Change the Rules of Royal Succession in the Commonwealth Realms
Proposed reforms to the succession were announced during the 2011 Commonwealth
Heads of Government Meeting in Perth, Australia. The heads agreed to change the rules of
succession by replacing male preference primogeniture with absolute primogeniture, in which
the first born child of a monarch is heir apparent regardless of gender. It was also proposed to
end both the ban on marriage to Catholics and the requirement for those in line to the throne to
gain the permission of the sovereign to marry. However, the specific ban on Catholics sitting on
the throne was proposed to remain.
The royal family are a focus of patriotism, of loyalty, of affection and of esteem
Royalty
The British Royal Family is the group of close relatives of the monarch of the United
Kingdom. Members of the Royal Family have belonged to, either by birth or marriage, the
House of Windsor since 1917, when George V changed the name of the royal house from SaxeCoburg and Gotha. This decision was primarily taken because Britain was at war with Germany
and given the British Royal Familys strong German ancestry, it was felt that its public image
could be improved by choosing a more British house name. The new name chosen was Windsor.
The Royal Family has little use for last names after all, everyone knows who they are. The
Queen signs official documents Elizabeth R. The R stands for Regina which means queen.
Members of the Royal Family share and carry out public duties as patrons of many
charities and other organizations. These individuals receive an annual payment known as a
Parliamentary Annuity, the funds being supplied to cover office costs. These amounts are repaid
by HM the Queen from her private funds.
Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900 2002) was the Queen Consort of King George VI until his
death in 1952. A Queen Consort is the wife of a reigning king. A Queen Consort usually shares
her husbands rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the Kings monarchical titles. The
counterpart a Queen Regnant inherits the throne. After her husbands death she was known as
Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II. In
67

some of the British media Queen Elizabeth the Mother is often referred to as the Queen Mum,
and the term Queen Mother remains associated with her after her death. In her later years, the
Queen Mother became known for her longevity. Her 100th birthday was celebrated by a special
parade; her image appeared on a special 20 pound note issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
She continued an active public life until just a few months before her death at the age of
101. She remained the most popular member of the Royal Family until death and the longestlived member of the Royal Family in British history.
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) was born on 21 April, 1926. Her birthday
is officially celebrated on the second Saturday of June. The days official name is the Queens
Birthday Parade. Her Majesty the Queens title in the UK is: Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace
of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Queen Elizabeth II
ascended the throne on 6 February, 1952 upon the death of her father, King George VI.
Queen Elizabeth II is the UKs Head of State. She is Queen of sixteen former British
colonies, including Australia, Canada and New Zealand; and Head of the Commonwealth, a
multinational body created after the dissolution of the British Empire.
The Queen is married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. They married in 1947. The
Duke is Queen Elizabeths third cousin; they share Queen Victoria as great-great-grandmother.
Son and royal heir apparent Prince Charles was the first child born to the young royal couple in
1948 with three more children following: Princess Anne, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward.
The Queen does not normally use a surname, she doesnt need a passport or a driving
licence.
Among her official residences are Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, St James Palace
and many others.
When Elizabeth was 13 years old, the Second World War broke out. In 1945 Princess
Elizabeth joined the army as a truck driver and mechanic. In 1951, when the Kings health
became too bad to go to many public events, Princess Elizabeth began to make official visits for
him. She became Queen of the UK and the Commonwealth in 1952 and was crowned in June
1953 in Westminster Abbey. She wore a dress decorated with the national flowers of the
countries of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth is the only monarch of more than one
independent nation.
Ever since she became Queen, Elizabeth has spent about three hours every day doing the
boxes. The boxes are two large red boxes brought to her from the Parliament every day. They
are full of state papers from various departments, embassies and government offices. When the
Queen is in London, she meets her Prime Minister once a week to talk about events.
She is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England. The Queen is deeply religious,
she regularly goes to church.
The Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II was a multinational celebration throughout
2012 marking the 60th anniversary of the Queens accession to the Throne. Highlights of the
Diamond Jubilee celebrations included the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant, BBC concert at
Buckingham Palace, service of thanksgiving and balcony appearance, and fly-past.

The official emblem for the Queens Diamond

Jubilee in 2012 is the winning design following a national competition for children aged between
6 and 14. It was drawn by 10-year-old Katherine Dewar. The design has a crown poised above
the Union Jack alongside columns of diamonds.
68

Prince Philip Mountbatten

Prince Philip Mountbatten, present Queens husband, was born into the Greek and Danish
royal families on the Greek island of Corfu in 1921. He was born as Prince Philip of Greece and
Denmark. But his family was exiled from Greece when he was a child. He was educated in
Germany and Britain at schools run by a German Jewish educator. At the age of 18, he joined the
British Royal Navy, in which he served during World War II. After the war, he renounced his
titles and adopted the surname Mountbatten from his British maternal grandparents. In 1947 he
married Princess Elizabeth, the heir to the British throne. On his marriage he was granted the
title of the Duke of Edinburgh by his father-in-law, King George VI. When Elizabeth became
Queen, he left his naval career to act as her consort. His wife made him Prince of the United
Kingdom in 1957. He is Britains longest serving consort and the oldest serving spouse of a
reigning monarch. He speaks fluent English, German and French. His Greek is rudimentary. He
has stated that he considers himself to be Scandinavian, particularly Danish.
Prince Charles
Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, was born at Buckingham Palace in 1948. As an
eldest son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, he is heir to the British throne. He studied
anthropology, archeology and history at Cambridge University.
Prince Charles married Lady Diana at St Pauls Cathedral, before 3500 invited guests and
a worldwide television audience of 750 million people. The couple lived in Kensington palace.
They had two sons: Prince William of Wales and Prince Harry of Wales. The union between the
Prince and Princess of Wales soon became troubled, and in 1992 they finally separated.
He takes keen interest in architecture, the environment and health. Since his youth, the
Prince has been an active player of polo. He also pursued the visual arts, focusing on
watercolour, and exhibiting and selling a number of his paintings, as well as publishing books on
the subject.
As Prince of Wales, he undertakes a number of official duties on behalf of his mother.
Clarence House, the former London residence of the Queen Mother, is Charles current
official residence.
In his private life, Camilla Parker became Charles inseparable companion. In 2005 the
couple finally took a walk down the aisle.
Princess Diana
Lady Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales, was a popular member of the British Royal
Family and international personality of the late XX century as the first wife of Charles, Prince of
Wales. Diana was born into an old aristocratic Royal Family with royal connections and
remained the focus of worldwide media scrutiny before, during and after her marriage, which
ended in divorce in 1996. She also received recognition for her charity work. In 1997 she died in
a car accident in Paris, along with her companion, Dodi Al-Fayed. The world cried for
Englands Rose. The high-point of the funeral was when Dianas close friend Elton John
placed himself at the piano and sang his song Candle in the Wind. In memory of Lady Diana he
changed the text to Goodbye Englands Rose. Lady Diana is buried in Althorp Park (the
Spencer family home), on a small island in the middle of the Oval Lake. Four black swans swim
in the lake symbolically guarding her grave, there are water lilies in the lake and there are 36 oak
trees: one for every year of her life.
Prince William and Prince Henry
Prince William and Prince Henry are the sons of Charles and Diana. William is next in
the line to the throne after his father. He was born in 1982. Following his education at various
schools around the UK, William enrolled in the military.
In April 2011 Prince William married Kate Middleton. The couple now lives in
Anglesey, a Welsh island, where he is a helicopter rescuer.
Prince Henry of Wales, commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Diana
and Charles. Like his brother, Prince William, Harry attended a number of private schools before

69

entering the prestigious Eton College. In 2005 he entered Britains leading military academy.
Now he is a helicopter pilot.
Harry and his brother organized the Concert in memory of Diana at Wembley Stadium,
on 1 July, 2007.
Seeing the Royal Family in rather a rare combination of such human values as patriotism,
loyalty, affection and esteem, many British people still believe they should value it highly.
Post-Reading
A

Decide whether these statements are false or true. Correct those which are false.
1. The inward duties of the Queen include receiving foreign ambassadors, entertaining
visiting Heads of State, and making state visits overseas to other countries.
2. Every autumn the State Opening of the Parliament takes place in the House of Lords.
3. An heir apparent or an heiress apparent is a person who can be displaced from inheriting.
4. The letter R in Queen Elizabeths signature implies Royal.
5. A Queen Regnant is the wife of a reigning king.
6. Queen Elizabeth II became Queen in 1952 and was crowned in 1953.
7. Prince Philip Mountbatten, present Queens husband, was granted the title of the Prince
of Wales by his father, King George VI.
8. Prince Charles studied anthropology, archeology and history at Cambridge University.
9. Princess Diana is considered to be an international personality mainly due to her charity
work all over the world.
10. Prince Henry is next in the line to the throne after his father.

B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. charitable
2. primogeniture
3. ban
4. Queen Consort
5. Queen Regnant

6. reign
7. residence
8. anoint
9. subject
10. successor

a. a large or an official house

b. the wife of a ruler
c. relating to giving help to the poor
d. someone who takes position previously held by someone else
e. the system by which property and titles that is owned by a man
goes to his
oldest son after his death
f. someone who was born or has a right to live in a monarchy
g. an official order that prevents something from being used or
done
h. to put oil or water on someones head or body, usually as part of
religious ceremony
i. the female ruler who inherits the throne
j. to rule a nation as their king or queen

C
Complete the second sentence using the words in CAPITALS, so that it has a similar
meaning to the first sentence. You may need to add some words and make changes.
1. Because her doctor advised her, Mrs. Smith decided to take early retirement. ADVICE
__________________________, Mrs. Smith decided to take early retirement.
2. Many ministers think they do not have to obey the law. ABOVE
Many ministers regard themselves as _________________________________________.
3. The new teacher undertook the organization of the farewell party instead of me. BEHALF
The new teacher undertook the organization of the farewell party __________________.
70

4. She set up a charitable fund to remember and remind other people of his father after his death.
MEMORY
She set up a charitable fund ________________________________________________.
5. When Nicole first came to London, she was out of work and her only dream was to get
married to Richard. AISLE
When Nicole first came to London, she was out of work and she ___________________.
D
Find words and expressions in the Pre-Reading and Reading passages which have
the following definitions.
1. a small object that you keep to remind you of someone or something
2. feeling annoyed, upset because you cannot control a situation
3. a diplomat of the highest rank who is the official representative of their government in a
foreign country
4. the origin of ones family
5. to continue a course of an action you have begun
6. to accept that you are responsible for a piece of work and start to do it
7. careful and thorough examination of someone or something by reporters
8. simple, not advanced
9. someone or something of the same position or purpose in different spheres of life
10. without being affected or influenced by something
E

Use the correct form of the words in D to complete the given sentences.

1. As a charity, we provide food and shelter for people in need, _____ the reasons for their need.
2. Belgian government officials are discussing the matter with their _____ in France.
3. Gradually I acquired a _____ knowledge of Italian.
4. Once you become famous your private life comes under _____.
5. A small company _____ to organize and finance the exhibition.
6. Students should _____ their own interests, as well as do their school work.
7. Helens family can trace their _____ back to the 1700s.
8. Ms Takahashi was the first Japanese woman ever to be appointed _____ to India.
9. You _____ when you cant make yourself understood in a foreign language.
10. I bought those beautiful gloves as a _____ to remind me of my time in Rome.
Translate into English
1. , ,
, .
2. VIII ,
, ; ,

.
3. ,
. ,
1707 .
4.
7 1941 .
5. , ,
, .
.

71

6. ,
.
7. ,
-.
8.
( ) , .
9. .

,
.
10. ,

,
.
Extra Exploration
A

Put the following sentences into the correct order to complete the paragraph.

On 21 April 2006, Elizabeth Windsor celebrated her eightieth birthday. As this person is the
reigning British monarch, this fact did not go unnoticed by the media.
1. The first reason is constitutional.
2. The second reason is less happy.
3. Forty years ago, the vast majority of British people were positive about it.
4. During Elizabeths reign, respect for the monarchy has fallen dramatically.
5. But for two reasons, there were few public celebrations to mark the occasion.
6. These days, only half of the population thinks Britain would be worse off without it.
7. Some find this anomaly absurd, but in fact it is a nice indication of the distinction between the
individual and the institution.
8. Elizabeth was born on 21 April, but the official birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is always celebrated on a Saturday
in June.
B

Fill in the gaps in this text with the choices from the list below.

Constitutionally, it is said that the British monarch has three roles. First, he or she is the
1_____ of the country, so people can be as nasty as they like about the government and try to
change it without threatening the 2_____. Second, it is argued that the monarch is a possible
final check on a dictatorial government. Third, the monarch has a practical role. As Head of
State, he or she performs the 3_____, leaving the real government more time for governing.
However, 4_____ could probably fulfill all these roles just as well. The most important function
of the British monarchy, therefore, is probably not constitutional at all. It is 5_____. The
monarchy gives British people a symbol of continuity and a harmless outlet for 6_____. In
addition, the glamorous lives of the royal family provide a focus of reverence, a feeling of deep
respect and admiration for those people who want heroes and the ideal source of entertainment
for those 7_____. Last, 8_____, there is the economic function. The monarchy in Britain is a
great advantage to the countrys 9_____. In this respect, its grand style (grander than that of
10_____) more than pays for itself.
a. a president
f. personal embodiment
b. tourist industry
g. stability of the country
c. ceremonial duties
h. who want celebrity gossip
d. social psychological
i. most other European monarchies
e. but perhaps not least
j. expressions of national pride
72

Complete the text with appropriate prepositions.

You cannot go far 1_____ London 2_____ being aware 3_____ the citys close
connection 4_____ the Crown. There are royal palaces, royal parks and colourful ceremonies; if
you look 5_____ the souvenirs you can see how important royalty is 6_____ the capitals tourist
industry.
The most important building is Buckingham Palace, which is the official residence
7_____ the Queen.
It overlooks St Jamess Park where the previous royal residence, St Jamess Palace, can
be found. Running 8_____ the park, 9_____ Trafalgar Square 10_____ the front 11_____
Buckingham Palace is The Mall, a wide tree-lined avenue designed 12_____ royal processions
13_____ ceremonial occasions.
Food for Thought and Talk
1. There are two marriages going on: between Catherine and William and between the
monarchy and us the people. What is the implication of the following citation?
2. Prince Charles considers that something as curious as the monarchy wont survive unless
you take account of peoples attitudes. After all, if people dont want it, they wont have
it. Do you think everyone in Britain really wants it?
Food for Writing
Writing techniques
One type of argumentative essay is that which gives advantages and disadvantages: For and
Against. It is a formal piece of writing in which a topic is considered from opposing points of
view. A good essay of this type should consist of:
a. an introductory paragraph in which you talk generally about the topic without giving your
opinion;
b. a main body in which the points for and the points against, along with your justification,
appear in two separate paragraphs;
c. a closing paragraph in which you give either your opinion or a balanced consideration of the
topic.
Note: in this type of essay writing, you must not include opinion words (I believe, I think etc.) in
the introduction or the main body. Opinion words can only be used in the final paragraph.
Points to consider:
a. make a list of the points for and against before you start writing;
b. write well-developed paragraphs in which the points you present are supported with
justification by bringing reasons or examples;
c. do not use informal style or strong language;
d. try to use a quotation relevant to the topic you are writing about;
e. begin each paragraph with a topic sentence which summarizes what the paragraph is about.
Linking words
To list advantages
and disadvantages
To make contrasting
points

One/Another/A further/The main/greatest/first (dis)advantage of

Although; Even though; Regardless/In spite of/Despite the fact that;
while; yet; however; nevertheless; but; at the same time; even so; still;
nonetheless

73

A
Write a letter to the Queen or the Prime Minister about an issue that interests or
concerns you (health care, global warming, child abuse etc).
a.
b.
c.
d.
B

Begin with a fact or statistic that is an attention-getter.

Order your argument so that you end with your stronger point.
Anticipate the other side of the argument and deal with those points.
End on a strong, positive note.

Write a For and gainst essay about the concept of monarchy.

Snap before Nap

Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton

The wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of

Cambridge, and Miss Catherine Middleton took place on 29 April, 2011 at Westminster Abbey
in London. The build-up to the wedding and the occasion itself attracted much media attention,
with the service being broadcast live around the world, and being compared and contrasted in
many ways with the 1981 marriage of Williams parents, Charles, Prince of Wales and Lady
Diana Spencer. Much of the attention focused on Kate Middletons status as a commoner (not a
part of the aristocracy) marrying into royalty.
Upon her marriage, Middleton became Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge.
The ceremony was attended by most of the Royal Family, as well as many foreign royals,
diplomats and the couples chosen personal guests.
Kate Middleton did not forget the old British rhyme that says a bride must wear:
Something old, something new,
Something borrowed, something blue,
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.
But where does this wedding custom come from? Something old symbolizes continuity
with the brides family and the past. Something new means optimism and hope for the brides
new life ahead. Something borrowed is usually an item from a happily married friend or family
member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The
borrowed item also reminds that she can depend on her friends and family. As for the colourful
item, blue has been connected to weddings for centuries. In ancient Rome, brides wore blue to
symbolize love, modesty, and fidelity. Christianity has long dressed Virgin Mary in blue, so
purity was associated with the colour. Before the late XIX century, blue was a popular colour for
wedding gowns, as evidenced in proverb like Marry in blue, lover be true. And finally, a silver
sixpence in the brides shoe represents wealth and financial security.
Kate Middletons bridal gown was her something old, from Sarah Burton featuring
traditional Carrickmacross craftsmanship, a lace technique that dates back to 1800s, Ireland. Her
parents gifted their daughter with diamond oak-leaf earrings, a nod to their new family crest. Her
tiara was her something borrowed, loaned to her by the Queen a tradition for royal weddings.
Although Middleton appeared to be all dressed in white, a hint of blue ribbon was sewn into the
gown. British footwear designer Georgina Goodman designed a pair of Swarovski encrusted
wedding shoes to celebrate the occasion. Only eleven pairs of the exclusive heels were created,
with one being sent to the bride herself, Kate Middleton. Georgina Goodman said, I was
honoured to be asked to design these couture shoes to celebrate such a momentous event. I
74

wanted to create something very classic and traditional using the silver sixpence, but also to
create a design that was unique. Rather than placing the coin inside the shoe, Ive taken a modern
twist by embedding the lucky silver sixpence right on the front.
Prince William wore the uniform of his honorary rank of Colonel of the Irish Guards.
Williams best man was his brother, Prince Harry, while the brides sister, Pippa, acted as her
maid of honour. The wedding ceremony began at 11 am BST (British Summer Time). John
Robert Hall, the Dean of Westminster, conducted the service with Rowan Williams, the
Archbishop of Canterbury, conducting the marriage ceremony itself. After the ceremony, the
newly married couple travelled in procession to Buckingham Palace for the traditional
appearance on the balcony and a fly-past before crowds assembled in the Mall.
Later the Prince drove his Duchess the short distance to Clarence House in his fathers
classic Aston Martin DB6 Volante, decorated by Prince Harry with a number plate JUST
WED.
Hidden Rules of English Behaviour
Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.

, , ,
sorry please thank you.
anks kyou.
, please
thank you. , ( ,
, ,
), , ,
, please thank you . ,
(rules of decorum),
, .
, ,
. ,
.
, ,
kyou anks .
, please
. (courtesy)
,
, , ,
.
,
.
,
. (mumble)
, . ,
, , , ,
. ,
. please thank you,
, ,
(egalitarianism), (scrupulosity)
,

75

. , ,
.
(play up to) . , ,
, ,
, ,
, (be indulgent) .
, , .
(it comes natural), .
, , - .
. .
, ,
,
(restraint and
privacy). ,
, .
, ,

. (be
ashamed) .
, (make fun of) ,
.

Unit 7

Capital Cities and Towns

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. boundary (n) ; outside the boundary e.g. We would need their

agreement to build outside the city boundary. to form the boundary between
e.g. The Mississippi River forms a natural boundary between Iowa and Illinois.
to mark the boundary e.g. The stream curves round to mark the boundary
of their property.
2. commute (v) e.g. Jim commutes to
Manhattan every day. commute (n) e.g. My morning
commute takes 45 minutes. commuter (n) ,
, ..; commuter belt , ,
; commuter tax ,
,
3. contribute (v) , , ; to contribute to sth
- e.g. The volunteers contributed a lot to the campaign under the Book
Your Future motto. contribution (n) ; significant (valuable) contribution
() ; to make a (ones) contribution to sth ,
- e.g. Christopher Wrens contribution to building and rebuilding the
city was immense.
4. over an area , a e.g. The city covers 25 sq miles.
5. grow (v) , ; to grow in size ; to grow in
importance ; to grow rapidly (slowly, steadily)
(, ); growth (n) , ; gradual (rapid) growth
() ; a period of rapid growth , ;
growing (adj) , e.g. The growing population of that small town
caused a lot of environmental problems.
76

6. home (n) , e.g. England is the home of

railways. home (adj) ; home town ; home (v) e.g.
Several publishers have homed in this city. home (away) from home

7. rank (v) () - , ; to rank sb/sth as
-/- e.g. We rank Moscow as one of the best cities. to rank among the
best ; to rank among the first ; to
rank third ; to rank (be) on a par with
c e.g. We rank on a par with the safest countries in the world. rank (n) ,
; people of all ranks
8. reside (v) , ; to reside in the country ; to reside
abroad ; residence (n) , , e.g.
Rome was his main place of residence. permanent (temporary) residence
() ; to change ones residence o; official
residence ; resident (n) ; the residents of
the suburbs ; resident (adj) e.g. Many
retired British people are now resident in Spain. the resident population

9. specimen (n) ; the finest specimen of ; a rare specimen

e.g. His works are among the finest specimens of the XIX century painting.
10. traffic (n) , , ; heavy traffic ;
road (street) traffic ; to be stuck in traffic e.g.
Sorry Im late, I was stuck in traffic. traffic (adj) , ; traffic accident
- ; traffic jam , ; traffic signs

11. undergo (positive, negative) changes (, )
e.g. The city has undergone massive positive changes after the election of a new
mayor.
B

Cultural Awareness

The symbol of Liverpool is the Liver bird. The Liver Birds are two large bronze birds on
top of a building the Liver Building in the city of Liverpool. According to the popular
legend, they are a male and female pair, the female looking out to sea watching for the seamen to
return safely home, whilst the male looks towards the city making sure the pubs are open. Local
legend also says that the birds face away from each other as the city would cease to exist, if they
were to mate and fly away. Many people in Liverpool are proud of their city and of the Liver
Birds. There is a story that the birds will come alive if a truly pure woman walks between them.
This will never happen! This is an example of the humor of the local people.
Inhabitants of Liverpool are referred to as Liverpudlians but are also colloquially known
as Scousers, in reference to the local dish scouse, a form of stew.
Liverpool is internationally known for music and is recognized by Guinness World
Records as the World Capital City of Pop. It is most famous as the birthplace of the Beatles, an
internationally famous British pop group. A visit to the Cavern Night Club, the famed starting
place of the Beatles, is a popular tourist attraction in Liverpool.
C

Take a virtual sightseeing tour of London and match each sight with its description.

77

1. Piccadilly Circus

2. Soho

3. Chinatown

4. Trafalgar Square

5. Big Ben

6. Buckingham Palace

7. Mall

8. Westminster Abbey

a.
Its name has been used at different times to describe different places in London. The first
area known as that was located in the East End of London. At the start of the XX century
immigrants from this Asian country were concentrated in that area. However, much of the area
was damaged by aerial bombing during the Second World War. After the war the growing
popularity of national cuisine and an influx of immigrants from Hong Kong led to an increasing
number of restaurants serving their national cuisine being opened elsewhere.
b.
It is a wide tree-lined avenue designed for royal processions on ceremonial occasions,
running through St Jamess Park from Trafalgar Square to the front of Buckingham Palace.
c.
It is a four-faced clock tower named after Sir Benjamin Hall, an architect. He was a very
tall and stout man and his nickname was given to the clock. It is 329 feet high with a minute
hand 11 feet long and a bell weighing 13.5 tons. It is considered to be one of the finest timekeepers in the world. Every day when people in the UK and overseas switch on their radios to
listen to the BBC radio news, they hear its bells ring loud and clear. It is one of the most famous
sounds in London.
d.
Extremely busy with people, it is the centre of night life in the West End. Londons bestknown theatres and cinemas, the most famous restaurants and night-clubs can be found there. It
is also known for its fountain and statue of an archer popularly known as Eros. It is actually quite
small, and most people are rather disappointed when they see it for the first time because they
had imagined it would be much bigger.
e.
It is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth and the British Royal Family. It is a symbol
and home of the British monarchy and is also the workplace of 450 people. Every year some
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50,000 invited guests are entertained at garden parties, receptions, audiences and banquets. At
the rear of the building there is a large park-like garden, which is the largest private garden in
London. It covers 40 acres, includes a helicopter landing area, a lake, and a tennis court. It is the
Queens London residence. When she is in her residence the Royal Standard (the sovereigns
personal flag adopted in 1960) is flown. The Royal Standard is a square blue flag with a crowned
initial E within a ring of roses, all in gold.
f.
It was part of King Henry VIIIs hunting grounds. When a hunter spied a deer, he cried
Tally-Ho-o-o!, but with a smaller prey, the cry became So-Ho-o-o! From the XVII to early
XX century this area was avoided and neglected by the rich aristocrats in neighbouring areas. As
such, this section developed a reputation for prostitution, music halls, cheap food and shady
dealings. During the XX century, this part became the centre of bohemian London with
intellectuals, writers, artists and poets. It is one of Londons most exiting areas, a place to come
to for fun and games after dark as it has Londons trendiest clubs, bars and restaurants. This area
of London has inspired other cities too. There are districts with the same name in New York,
Hong Kong and Buenos Aires.
g.
It is the actual geographical centre of London. At its centre is Nelsons Column guarded
by four bronze lion statues at its base. There are a number of statues and sculptures in the square,
with one plinth displaying changing pieces of contemporary art. The place is used for political
demonstrations and community gatherings, such as the New Years Eve. The name of the square
commemorates the battle where a British naval victory over the combined fleets of France and
Spain was won at the cost of Nelsons life.
h.
It is a very big church built in the Gothic style. It is the traditional place of coronation and
burial site for English, later British and currently the Commonwealth Realms kings. William the
Conqueror was the first king to be crowned there. There is a Poets Corner here. Many famous
English people are buried here, among them Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Darwin,
Isaac Newton.
D
Someone has drawn notes () instead of words in this text about Londons red
buses. Read it and try to decide what the original word was. Write the words in the blank
spaces.

London is also famous for its red buses. In the early 1990s,
Londons famous red buses were __________, that is, they stopped being state-owned and
became privately owned. The different bus companies wanted to paint their buses in their own
company __________. But many people, fond of the familiar red buses, were against this
__________ and the government ruled that all buses had to stay red, both because this is what
the people of London wanted and also because it believed this would be good for the tourist
trade. For the same __________, when the iconic version of the London red bus, the famous
Routemaster was taken out of regular service, it became a bus for __________ trips.
At one __________, almost every London bus was a Routemaster. Originally intended
to work for 17 years only, they proved so durable, convenient and popular that they lasted half a
__________. They were convenient because they were hop-on hop-off buses. That is, they
had no doors which __________ and close, just an open-sided platform __________. So you
didnt have to wait for the next bus stop, you could hop off any time you wanted. In off-peak
hours you could hop on anywhere too. But they did not conform to modern expectations
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regarding pram and wheelchair access. So, at 2:00 p.m. on 9 December 2005, double-decker bus
159 left Marble Arch in central London. It was unusually crowded. An hour later, it crawled
slowly into Brixton bus garage in south London. It was working perfectly well, but it had to go
slowly because it was surrounded by crowds of well-wishers who were saying __________ to
an old friend. This ended the career of the Routemaster.
Reading
By seeing London, you can see as much of life as the world can show
London
Among the major industrial cities London comes first. It is the capital of England and the
UK. Today London is one of the worlds largest port cities. It is one of the three main global
financial centres along with New York and Tokyo. It is also a popular tourist attraction in Europe
due to its numerous places of interest.
London was not built as a city in the same way as Paris or New York. It began life as a
Roman fort of Londinium founded in the first century AD at a place where it was possible to
cross the River Thames. A wall was built around the ancient town for defence, but during the
long period of peace, people built outside the walls. This building continued over the years. In
1665 the Great Plague broke out in London, so many people left the city and escaped to the
villages in the surrounding countryside. In 1666 the Great Fire of London ended the plague, but
it also destroyed much of the city. Although people returned to live in the rebuilt city after the
plague and fire, there were never again so many Londoners living in the city centre.
These days London has spread outwards, including surrounding villages. The gradual
growth of the city helps to explain the fact that London does not have just one centre, it has a
number of centres, each with a distinct character. The four main parts of London are:
The City, the business centre;
Westminster, the administrative centre;
The West End, the cultural centre;
The East End, the industrial centre.
The City
The City does not refer to the whole of central London but rather to a small area in the
centre. It includes the original Roman town which was rather small and covered an area of about
one square mile (2.5 sq km) and hence it was called the Square Mile. It is a major business and
financial centre ranking on a par with New York City as the leading centre of global finance. The
City has a resident population of approximately 11,000 but around 320,000 people work there,
mainly in financial services sector.
The local authority is the City of London Corporation. The Corporation is headed by the
Lord Mayor of the City of London, a position that is not the same as the more recently created
position of the Mayor of London. The City has its own flag and coat of arms. It has a unique
political status. It has its own independent police force, the City of London Police. The rest of
Greater London is policed by the Metropolitan Police Service, based at New Scotland Yard. It
also has one hospital. The Guildhall is the ceremonial and administrative centre of the City.
Mansion House is the official residence of the Lord Mayor, who is appointed annually. Once a
year, in November, the Lord Mayors Show takes place. This is a colourful street parade in
which the newly elected Lord Mayor travels in a 200-year-old golden coach. In the evening a
splendid meal is served in the Guildhall, to which the Prime Minister and members of the
Government are invited.
When the Queen wishes to conduct business within the City, she is met by the Lord
Mayor at Temple Bar where she requests permission to enter this private, sovereign state.
Temple Bar in Fleet Street is the only surviving gateway to the City of London and an
impressive monument with a dragon, Dragon Statue, marks the boundary between the City and
Westminster.

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The Dragon or the Griffon (a mythical beast, half eagle and half lion) is said to guard
treasure and is the symbol of the City of London.
In the famous Threadneedle Street you will find the Bank of England, Lloyds, the most
famous insurance company in the world. Nearby is the Stock Exchange where shares in
commercial companies are bought and sold.
The centre of the countrys judicial system is also to be found here, in the City. The Old
Bailey houses many courts and some of Britains most famous murder trials have taken place
here.
Fleet Street is famous as the home of the nations newspapers but, in fact, only two of
them the Daily Express and the Daily Telegraph are still in Fleet Street. However, people still
say Fleet Street to mean the press.
Westminster
The name Westminster was used for the ancient description of the area around
Westminster Abbey The West Minister, or monastery, church, that gave the area its name. It
has been the seat of the government for almost a thousand years. It is a large concentration of
Londons historic and prestigious landmarks and visitor attractions, including the Palace of
Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Downing Street, important ministries in
Whitehall. It is the heart of Britain.
The West End
Located to the west of the historic City of London, the West End was long favoured by
the rich elite as a place of residence because it was far from the noise and smoke of the crowded
City. It was also located close to the royal seat of power at Westminster. Developed in the
seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, it was originally built as a series of palaces,
expensive town houses, fashionable shops and places of entertainment. The name West End is a
flexible term with different meanings in different contexts. It may refer to the entertainment
district around Leicester Square and Covent Garden as well as to the shopping district centred on
Oxford Street, Regent Street, and Bond Street. There are around 40 theatres in Londons
Theatreland. Theatre performances in the West End tend to be musicals, classic plays and
comedies.
The East End
The East End is a district of docks and factories. It grew with the spread of industries. But
in recent years it has undergone positive changes. The old docklands have been transformed into
the Canary Wharf. The Canary Wharf is one of Londons two main financial centres, alongside
the traditional City of London and contains many of the UKs tallest buildings. The East End has
long been known for its immigrant population where people from abroad have come to find
work. These days, many Jews and Bengalis live in the East End, and within a small area you can
see a mosque, a church and a synagogue.
The people living in the East End are well known for their friendly and lively nature. The
East End markets are famous throughout the world. Petticoat Lane market takes place every
Sunday morning and has become one of the sights of London.
Traditionally someone born in the East End is known as a Cockney. Cockney is also used
of any Londoner who speaks a cockney accent. Cockneys are distinguished by their quick wit,
sense of humour and willingness to be of help if they can.
The City is popularly called the money of London, the West End the goods of
London and the East End the hands of London.
The population of London is more than 7 million. The majority of Londoners live in its
suburbs. Millions of them commute to the centre each day.
London is a very cosmopolitan city. Many people from various parts of the world came
and set up in communities in London, many of them in the recent past. All have brought along
their cultures and traditions making London a truly multicultural place.

81

What a wonderful city Edinburgh is! What alternation of height and depth
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and the seat of the Scottish Parliament. It is the
second largest city in Scotland and the seventh most populous in the United Kingdom. The city
is renowned world-wide for its history, architecture, scenery and cultural attractions.
Edinburghs unique features include two extinct volcanoes, one of them right in the City Centre
onto which Edinburgh Castle is built. Most of the attractions in Edinburgh are located in the Old
Town, a medieval town in the heart of a modern Scottish city. Among them are Edinburgh
Castle, a must-see for anyone sightseeing Edinburgh. The Royal Mile, the Palace of
Holyroodhouse, the Queens residence in the city, Walter Scott Monument, the Chapel of St
Margaret, Royal Scottish Academy, the National Gallery of Scotland as well as the New Town
are among the main sights of Edinburgh. Edinburgh can be quite busy both during the summer
and winter seasons when tourists literally flock in. Edinburgh is famous for its memorable New
Years celebration the Edinburgh Hogmanay. The city hosts the annual Edinburgh
International Festival. The number of visitors attracted to the Festival is roughly equal to the
settled population of the city.
If you dont know where you are going, any road will take you to Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital and the largest city in Wales and the tenth largest city in the United
Kingdom. The city is Wales chief commercial centre, the base for most national, cultural and
sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly of Wales.
The stunning XI-century Cardiff Castle is a major tourist attraction in the city centre. Cardiff has
many other landmark buildings such as the Millennium Stadium, Pierhead Building, the Welsh
National Museum and the Senedd, the home of the National Assembly of Wales. Four major
institutions of higher education can be found here. Cardiff often acts as a host city for big and
smaller musical competitions, festivals and other events.
Belfast is like an ugly child; you love it the most
Belfast
Belfast is the capital and largest city in Northern Ireland. Historically, Belfast has been a
centre for the Irish linen industry (earning the nickname Linenopolis), tobacco production,
rope-making and shipbuilding: the citys main shipbuilders which built the well-known Titanic,
propelled Belfast onto the global stage in the early XX century as the biggest and most
productive shipyard in the world. Today Belfast remains a centre of industry, as well as the arts,
higher education and business, a legal centre, and is the economic engine of Northern Ireland.
Among the citys grandest buildings are the City Hall, the Waterfront Hall and the Grand Opera
House.
Its not necessary to go far and wide, you can really find exciting
and inspiring things within big and small towns all over the country
Birmingham
Birmingham is the most populous British city outside London. A medium-sized market
town during the medieval period, Birmingham grew to international prominence in the XVIII
century being hailed as the first manufacturing town in the world. In fact men used to sell their
wives there as recently as the XVIII century. In 1733 a man sold his wife in the market place for
a little more than one pound! Although neither husbands nor wives are for sale nowadays,
Birminghams markets offer a large choice of other goods. People used to come to buy and sell
old clothes in the colourful rag market but now there is also a wide selection of fashionable
clothes for everybody. Years ago farmers used to sell their animals at the Bull Ring, but now it is
one of the biggest open-air markets and shopping centres in the United Kingdom. People enjoy
shopping there because it has modern shops, together with the atmosphere of a traditional street
market.
Today Birmingham is a major international commercial centre, and an important
transport, retail, events and conference city. Birminghams three universities and two university
82

colleges make it the largest centre of higher education in the UK outside London, and its major
cultural institutions including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham
Royal Ballet and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, enjoy international reputations. People from
Birmingham are called Brummies, a term derived from the citys nickname of Brum.
Manchester
Further to the north is Manchester. Born during the Industrial Revolution, it played a
decisive and leading role in world textile manufacture in the late XVIII century. It was textile
and other associated trades, which dominated and created a young dynamic city whose very
symbol is a worker bee a feature of the citys coat of arms and an emblem repeated in mosaics
all over the floor of the citys Town Hall.
Forming part of the English Core Cities Group, Manchester today is a centre of arts, the
media, higher education and commerce. All these factors contributed to Manchester polling as
the second city of the UK in 2002. In 2007 Manchester was regarded as the fastest growing city
economically. It is the second most visited city in England after London. The city is also famous
for its 2 sporting teams Manchester United and Manchester City.
Bath
The city was first established as spa by the Romans in 43 AD, although verbal tradition
suggests that Bath was known before then. They built baths and a temple on the surrounding hills
of Bath around Britains only hot springs. The City of Bath was inscribed as a World Heritage
Site in 1987. It has a variety of theatres, museums, and other cultural and sporting venues, which
have helped to make it a major centre for tourism, with over one million staying visitors and 3.8
million day visitors to the city each year. The city has two universities and several schools and
colleges. The city also has a long-standing musical tradition: it holds the Bath International
Music Festival and Mozartfest every year. Other festivals include the annual Bath Film Festival,
Bath Literature Festival and its counterpart for children.
Stratford-upon-Avon
Set in the beautiful rural Warwickshire countryside, on the banks of the river Avon,
Stratford-upon-Avon is a popular tourist destination owing to its status as birthplace of the
worlds greatest poet and dramatist William Shakespeare. A market town dating back to
medieval times, it receives about three million visitors a year from all over the world. The town
is internationally renowned for Royal Shakespeare Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Companys
main theatre in Stratford. It is a one-room theatre, allowing the actors and the audience to share
the same place as they did when Shakespeares plays were first produced. Among the main
attractions of the town are the Shakespeares houses: five beautifully preserved Tudor homes and
gardens, all directly linked with William Shakespeare and his family. The houses are owned and
cared for by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare was
baptized and is buried is also among the towns landmarks. Every year, in April Stratford-uponAvon celebrates Shakespeares birthday. In 2012 the World Shakespeare Festival was planned
from 23 April to 9 September with shows of 50 professional and amateur companies from
Britain and abroad.
Glasgow
Standing on the river Clyde, Glasgow is Scotlands largest city. It used to be called the
dear dirty city, as its leading role during the industrial revolution of the XIX century caused a
great deal of pollution. Today many of the shipyards have closed and some traditional
manufacturing industries have been replaced by the high-tech electronics industries. Although
the Clyde used to be a very dirty river, now it is much cleaner. Recently, Scotlands most famous
fish, the salmon, has been seen swimming once again in the heart of the city.
Glasgow is the home of the Scottish National Orchestra, the Scottish Opera and Scottish
Ballet. These last two are based at the magnificent Theatre Royal. The Kellingrove galleries
contain the finest art collection in Britain outside London.

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Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye is a Welsh border town on the southern bank of the River Wye. It is unique,
because although its total population is only 1500, the town has over thirty bookshops which
contain well over a million antiquarian and second-hand books. Hay-on-Wye is the ideal holiday
centre and destination for bibliophiles or as they are informally called bookworms!
Enniskillen
Enniskillen is the County Town of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. The Town centre is
firmly built along the long, narrow Main Street, which actually changes six times along its
length! Each other section of the street with a unique style and character gives Enniskillen a real
sense of bustle and life. Located directly beside the Town Hall is the town square called the
Diamond. The major sight of the town is Enniskillen Castle, originally built in the XVI century.
Now it houses the Fermanagh County Museum which focuses on the countrys history,
traditional rural life, the history of the castle, local crafts and Belleek Pottery. There are
numerous schools and colleges in and around the Enniskillen area, from primary level to
secondary level, including some further education colleges.
Post-Reading
A

Decide whether these statements are false or true. Correct those which are false.
1. London began life as a Roman port of Londinium founded in the first century AD.
2. In the second half of the XVII century London underwent two terrible disasters a fire in
1665 and a plague in 1666.
3. The four main parts of London are the City, Westminster, the West End and the East End.
4. The National Gallery of Wales is among Edinburghs cultural institutions.
5. Cardiff is situated on the River Lagan.
6. The famous liner Titanic was built and launched in Belfast.
7. Birmingham is the second largest city in Northern Ireland.
8. The symbol of Manchester is a golden plate with City of a Thousand Trades carved on
it.
9. It was Romans who first put the city of Bath on the map.
10. The houses in Stratford-upon-Avon are owned and cared for by the Royal Shakespeare
Company.
11. Situated on the river Clyde, Glasgow is Scotlands largest city.
12. The word bookworms in this text implies an insect that eats books.
13. The Town Hall in Enniskillen is nicknamed the Diamond.

B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. ancient town
2. border town
3. capital city
4. cosmopolitan city
5. host city
6. major city
7. manufacturing town
8. market town

a. a city with a harbour or docks where ships can be loaded and

unloaded
b. a city that provides the necessary space, equipment etc for a
special event
c. a town situated on the official line separating two countries
d. a town producing many goods in different factories
e. a very old town with an interesting history
f. a town founded in the Middle Ages and preserving historical and
architectural sights of that period
g. where the government of a country or state is
h. where people from different parts of the world come to live

84

9. medieval town
10. port city

i. a town where there is an outdoor place with people regularly

buying and selling things
j. a very important city

C
Find words and expressions in the Pre-Reading and Reading passages which have
the following definitions.
1. to give somebody the idea for something, especially a story, painting, poem etc
2. belonging to the present time, modern
3. to do something to show that you remember and respect somebody important or an important
event in the past
4. the real or imaginary line that marks the edge of a state, country etc
5. continuing to exist after a long time
6. a building in which Muslims worship
7. a building where Christians go to worship
8. a building where Jewish people meet for religious worship
9. something you have to see
10. continuously moving or changing
11. a place where an organized sports event takes place
D

Use the correct form of the words in C to complete the given sentences.

1. The tourists were impressed by the _____ building of the old library.
2. The priest who performed the marriage service in the local _____ was a friend of the family.
3. A special commission was set up to re-examine the _____ of English counties.
4. If you are interested in the early history of the motor car, this exhibition is a _____.
5. The dancers performed to a new and _____ arrangement of Swan Lake.
6. Both my parents belonged to the Jewish faith and regularly attended a _____.
7. The _____ for the 2014 Winter Olympics will be Sochi in Russia.
8. The Monument was built _____ the famous musician.
9. The followers of Muhammad gathered in a _____ to study the teachings in Koran, their holy
book.
10. The rings she makes _____ by the shapes of sea creatures.
11. Most other countries cannot keep up with Taiwans _____ development as an industrial
economy.
Translate into English
1. 4 .
2. .
3.
, , . ..
4.
,
.
5. ,
15 , .
6.
. ,
.
7. , , -,
28 1886 .
85

 .
.
8. , ,
. .
9. ,
,
. , ,
.
10. .
, , .
Extra Exploration
A
The first sentence of each paragraph (1-4) is given. Complete the text St Pauls
Cathedral with a-d.
1. St Pauls Cathedral, one of the most attractive architectural marvels can be seen high above
the city of London.
2. The interior of the Cathedral is very beautiful.
3. Here you can climb 263 steps to the Whispering Gallery which runs round the Dome.
4. The north-west tower of the Cathedral contains 13 bells hung for change ringing while the
south-west contains 4, including the Great Paul, the largest bell in the British Isles, cast in 1881.
a.
It is as imposing as the exterior of the church. It is home to numerous carvings, statues,
memorials and tombs of famous British figures, including Lord Nelson, Duke of Wellington, Sir
Winston Churchill. Sir Christopher Wren is also buried here. There is no memorial on his tomb,
only an epitaph: For his monument, just look around you.
b.
It is not rung now lest the vibration should cause damage to the Cathedral.
c.
It has had an eventful history. Five different churches were built at this site. The last one
was completely destroyed by the Great Fire of London in 1666. Sir Christopher Wren was tasked
with the construction of a new church to replace the old one. The huge dome of the Cathedral
with a golden ball and cross on top has been dominating the skyline for 300 years.
d.
It is called so, because of the phenomenon of traveling whispers. Whispering Gallery is
constructed in the form of a circular wall, and allows whispered communication from any part of
the internal side of the dome to any other part. The sound is carried by waves that travel around
the circumference. The extent to which the sound travels at St Pauls Cathedral can be judged by
clapping in the gallery, which produces four echoes.
B

Fill in the gaps in this text with words and phrases from the list below.

St Jamess Park is one of ten royal parks in and around London which are owned by the
Crown but are open to the public 1_____. They make a special contribution to city-living
because their existence ensures that there are areas of green between the flats, office blocks and
other buildings, and there is somewhere quiet and attractive to escape to, 2_____, crowded shops
and streets.
Each park has its own character. Hyde Park, for example, was originally a hunting forest
and 3_____ with horse-riders. People who enjoy a good argument can go to Speakers Corner,
where they can listen to people expressing their views on 4_____.
Regents Park was also originally a hunting park. It is larger than Hyde Park and now is
5_____ of London Zoo.

86

Not all the parks are in the centre of London. Greenwich and Richmond Parks are both in
6_____. Richmond Park like other royal parks was originally preserved for hunting. It still has
large herds of deer, but they are 7_____ hunted.
Greenwich Park is famous for its historic 8_____. But the most important thing
Greenwich is famous for is the 9_____, which runs through the Observatorys courtyard.
The parks of London are called 10_____ of London.
Greenwich Meridian
free of charge
the suburbs
the lungs
no longer

is still popular
different topics
the home
away from traffic jams
Royal Observatory

C
Work with numerals and use each number, figure, date or amount of money given
in the box properly.
1985
35,000

615 million
eighties

1835
one

6000
five

1.5 milliard
8 May, 2010

Kensington is an exclusive part of London where you can find many foreign embassies,
large, glamorous hotels and the department store that is the symbol of expensive and high-class
living Harrods. Harrods began in Londons East End at the beginning of Queen Victorias
reign. In 1_____, Charles Henry Harrod, a tea merchant and grocery wholesaler started his own
shop. Throughout its history the store has had 2_____ owners. The last owner of Harrodss was
the Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed who bought the store in 3_____ for 4_____ pounds.
There is a memorial to his son Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana near Harrods famous Egyptian
escalators. On 5_____ Mohamed Al-Fayed sold Harrods to the Qatar Royal family for 6_____
pounds. Harrods is number 7_____ department store in the world for luxury branded
merchandise. 8_____ people work here and about 9_____ customers visit it daily. In the late
10_____, Harrods stopped selling fur clothing. Recently it has resumed sale of fur, and Harrods
is now the only department store selling fur in the UK. People say you can buy anything in
Harrods, including wild animals they even have a zoo which will sell you lion cubs as well as
more common pets such as dogs, cats or parrots. Harrods even succeeded in supplying a
customer with a baby elephant, although it had to be ordered specially.
D
out.

Find ten extra words in this text about several bridges in Cambridge and cross them

There are a number of bridges across on the River Cam and many tales and legends are
connected with some of them. The Bridge of Sighs in Cambridge is a covered bridge belonging
to St Johns College of Cambridge University. It was built in 1831 and crosses the River Cam
among between the two parts of the college. It is named after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice,
although they have a little architecturally in common beyond the fact that they are both covered.
The bridge is one of Cambridges main tourist attractions and Queen Victoria is said to have
loved it more than any other spot in the city. A common myth states that it was the students who
were named this bridge bridge of sighs, because of the sighs of pre-exam students. Students
are said to sigh on passing from their quarters to the tutors offices in the most main college
building.
The oldest of Cambridges current bridges, built in 1640, is Clare Bridge. The bridge has
14 stone balls which decorating it and one of the balls has a missing section. Many different
stories are told to explain the missing section of the ball. One rumour is that the builder received
insufficient payment, and in his anger removed such a segment of the ball; another is that
87

complete bridges were subject to a tax at the time the bridge was built, and the missing section
made the bridge incomplete and hence untaxed.
One famous narrative relates to Queens Colleges so-called Mathematical Bridge. The
story usually goes as if follows: constructed by Sir Isaac Newton, it held itself together without
any bolts or screws. Years later, inquisitive students took it apart in order to see how much it
fitted together and the deconstructers were unable to reassemble it without bolts. However, the
bridge was erected 22 years after Newtons death and used the pins and screws at the joints.
Food for Thought and Talk
1. Expand on the saying If you are tired of London, you are tired of life.
2. If you were a guide in your city, what would your sightseeing tour consist of?
Food for Writing
Writing techniques
A descriptive composition about a place or a building should consist of:
a. an introduction in which you identify it, give its exact location and state the reason for
choosing it;
b. a main body in which you describe the main aspects of the place or building in detail;
c. a conclusion in which you mention your feelings and your final thoughts about the place or
give a recommendation.
Such pieces of writing can be found as articles in newspapers, tourist magazines or brochures, or
as a part of a story or letter.
Points to consider:
a. A wide variety of strong adjectives or adverbs will make your description more interesting;
b. Use of the senses (hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch) as well as narrative techniques to start
and finish your composition will make your description more vivid;
c. present tenses should be used when describing a place/building for a tourist brochure. Past
tenses should be used when you describe a visit to a place or building which took place in the
past. First and second conditionals (will/would) can be used when you describe your ideal
house/city etc.
Linking words
on condition that; provided/providing (that); only if; as long as;
in case; in case of; if
To express the consequence consequently; then; so; in which case; if so; if not; otherwise
of a condition
To express condition

A
Use the Internet to look for information about a sculpture of a naked, pregnant
woman with no arms unveiled in Trafalgar Square in 2005. Then write a composition
about it. To organize your thoughts, use a graphic organizer.

88

ALISON LAPPER
disabled, pregnant woman

Female Heroism

MARC QUINN
author of the sculpture, friend of Alison

PUBLIC DEBATE ON DISABILITY

or
Terrible Ugliness

B
Choose one of these galleries or museums in London the National Gallery, the
National Portrait Gallery, the Tate Gallery, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert
Museum, Madame Tussauds Museum and investigate the information about it. Answer
the questions below and then write a descriptive composition about the gallery or museum.
1. What did you find most interesting about the gallery or museum?
2. Had you heard about the gallery or museum before?
3. Why exactly did you choose this particular gallery or museum?
Snap before Nap
The Tower of London
Her Majestys Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of
London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It was
founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower,
which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. The castle
comprises not one but 20 towers. Many stories associated with British history come from the
Tower. Many political opponents of the kings were locked, tortured and killed in the Tower. The
sons of King Edward IV were murdered in the so-called Bloody Tower. The skeletons of two
little boys were found buried in the White Tower. Sir Thomas More was beheaded there and the
second wife of Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, was beheaded on Tower Green. The Tower also used
to be a royal residence: several kings lived here especially during turbulent times when the
donjon seemed a lot safer than the palace in Westminster.
Today the Tower is a tourist attraction. It is best known for its Crown Jewels, one of the
most valuable collections of jewellery in the world. The Crown Jewels can be viewed in the
Jewel House from a moving pavement, designed to cope with a huge number of tourists. It also
homes the Museum of Armour, where personal armours of English kings are displayed.
The Tower of London permanently keeps a group of ravens on the grounds. The group
comprises at least seven individuals (six required, with a seventh in reserve). The presence of the
ravens is traditionally believed to protect the Crown and the Tower. A superstition suggests that
If the ravens are lost or fly away, the Crown will fall and Britain with it. Hence, King Charles
II placed the birds under royal protection and had their wings clipped to prevent them from
flying away. With the single wing clipped, they can only fly for short distances. This is more or
less the only real hardship in their lives. Otherwise, the ravens are treated like royalty. Like the
Royals, the ravens live in a palace and are waited on by servants. The diet of the ravens is
carefully maintained: it includes fresh fruit, cheese and fresh meat, as well as vitamins and other
supplements. Each Tower raven has its individual name and a different coloured band on one
leg, to make it easier to identify individual birds. Ravens in captivity in the Tower grounds have
89

had lifespan of over 40 years. During the global spread of H5N1 virus (bird flu) in 2006, the
ravens of the Tower were taken inside, and lived in aviaries. So for centuries the fate of the
British Empire and later the Commonwealth has been tied to the ravens.
The main entrance of the Tower is at the Byward Tower, where youll find the so-called
Beefeaters or Yeomen Warders. Dressed in historic clothes, they not only guard the Tower, but
also give guided tours of the fortress. One of the about 40 Yeoman Warders is known as the
Ravenmaster, responsible for the ravens living in the Tower.

The original design of these cartoon mugs makes a lovely gift or memento of ravens,
iconic British birds, and Yeomen Warders, ceremonial guardians of the Tower.
Hidden Rules of English Behaviour
Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.
?
(courteousness, polite
manners) (observe). ,
(tip) .
(treat to) .
(rude) , , ,
, . ,
,
, : And one for you? And will you have one yourself?
, ,
:
(generosity).
,
: Will you have a drink? And one for yourself? ,
, , ,
. ,
buy. Can I buy you a drink?
(acceptable), ,
(hint of) . ,
. ,
, , And one for yourself?
,
.

(scrupulousness). , :
, ,
. ,
. , ,
(abuse) .
, ,
, ,
90

 . ,
, Cheers Thanks,
. ,
, , ,
, .
?
(unjustifiably) ,
.
, ,
(hypocrisy).
,
, .
, ,
, (deny) (conceal, disguise)
. :
.
? (selfdeception): ,
, , (humiliating),
.

UNIT 8

Patchwork of British Life

Pre-Reading
A

Word Bank

1. attach (v) , ; to be attached to sb/sth ,

e.g. He is foolishly attached to old customs. attachment (n)
, ; attachment to a friend; deep-rooted attachment

2. cater (v) ,
, e.g. This is the biggest event weve ever catered for. to cater for
e.g. Our agency caters for tourists from
the Middle East. catering business/service / ,
; self-catering ,

;
self-catering
apartment/cottage

/, e.g. Prices start from 115 per person

for seven nights self-catering.
3. commercial (adj) , ; commercial radio/TV-channel
/-; commercial (n) /; a soap powder
commercial ; commercial break
4. contemporary (adj) , ; contemporary writers
(literature, society, art) - (- , - ,
); Syn. modern; Ant. outdated, old-fashioned e.g. The lecturer told them about life
in contemporary Britain. contemporary (n) co e.g. Petrarch and Chaucer were
contemporaries.
5. detached-house (n) ; semi-detached house (n) ,
; block of flats (n) ; ottage (n)
; chateau (n) , , , ();
mansion (n) ; castle (n) , ; bungalow (n) ,

91

 ; stately home (n) ,

6. indispensable (adj) , ; indispensable to life
; to consider oneself indispensable ; to make oneself
indispensable to sb -; indispensable aspect (part) of sth
- e.g. Mobile phones have become an indispensable part of our
lives.
7. privacy (n) , e.g. There is no privacy here. to disturb sbs
privacy - ; a right to privacy ; to live in
absolute privacy ; to ensure privacy ,
; private (adj) , , , ;
private property (school) (); private enterprise
/; private office (secretary)
(); private opinion ; private life / ; for my
private use ; private correspondence
8. snob (n) e.g. I dont want to sound like a snob, but I think she was vulgar. music
snobs ; intellectual snobs ; snob appeal/value
, ( ,
..) e.g. That kind of car has real snob appeal. snobbery (n) ;
inverted snobbery ,
; snobbish (adj) e.g. Her family seems snobbish.
9. specialty shop , - /
; department store ; supermarket ; boutique ,

10. umbrella term/word/title , ..; come
under the umbrella term e.g. District nurses, health visitors
and school nurses will come under the umbrella term community nursing.
B

Metric Awareness

How tall?
If a British person asks you how tall you are, it would probably not help you to say
something like one, sixty-three. He or she is not likely to understand. Instead, you would have
to say five foot four. This means five feet and four inches.
1 inch = 2.53 cm
12 inches = 1 foot = 30.48cm
How far?
If you see a road sign saying Oxford 50, this does not mean that Oxford is 50 kilometres
away it is 50 miles away. All road signs in Britain are shown in miles. Similarly, for shorter
distances, most people talk about yards rather than metres.
1 yard = 0.92 m
1760 yards = 1 mile = 1.6 km
How heavy?
Similarly, it would not help a British person to hear that you weigh 67 kilos. It will be
more informative if you say you are ten stone seven or ten-and-a-half stone that is, 10 stone
and 7 pounds (the written abbreviation of pound as weight measuring unit is lb).
1 lb = 0.456kg
14 lbs = 1 stone = 6.38 kg
How much do you want?
On tins and packets of food in British shops, the weight of an item is written in the kilos
and grams familiar to most people in Europe. However, most British people have little sense of
what these mean in reality. Therefore, most of the packets and tins also record their weight in
92

pounds (lbs) and ounces (oz). Few people ever ask for a kilo of apples or 200 grams of
cheese. Youd better ask for two pounds of apples and half a pound of cheese.
1 lb = 16 oz = 456g
1 oz = 29.8g
C
Age 13
Age 14
Age 15
Age 16
Age 17
Age 18
Age 19
D

Teenage Awareness
may be employed part-time
allowed in bars but not to drink alcohol
legally a young person and not a child
school leaving age, can leave home, drive a moped, marry with parents consent
(not needed in Scotland), buy beer with a meal
can drive a car or motorbike
can vote, get married without parents consent, own property, get tattooed, drink
in pubs
can be employed full-time
Ecological Awareness

The prefix eco- in Modern English relates to the environment.

Can you give the definitions of the following eco-words?
ecocide _______________________________________________________________________
eco-friendly ___________________________________________________________________
ecology (ecosystem) ____________________________________________________________
ecological footprint _____________________________________________________________
ecoterrorism ___________________________________________________________________
ecotourism ____________________________________________________________________
ecotown ______________________________________________________________________
ecovillage _____________________________________________________________________
ecotecture _____________________________________________________________________
E

Currency Awareness

The currency of Britain is the pound sterling, whose symbol is , always written before
the specified amount. Informally, a pound is sometimes called a quid, so 20 might be
expressed as twenty quid. There are 100 pence (written p) in a pound.
The supply of money in Britain is controlled by the Bank of Britain, nicknamed the old
lady of Threadneedle Street. The name suggests both familiarity and age and also conservative
habits. The bank has been described as fascinated by its own past. It is also notable that the
people who work there are reported to be proud of its nickname.
F

English Counting Awareness

Letters a, b, c & d do not appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to 99

Letter d comes for the first time in Hundred
Letters a, b & c do not appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to 999
Letter a comes for the first time in Thousand
Letters b & c do not appear anywhere in the spellings of 1 to 999,999,999
Letter b comes for the first time in Billion
And
Letter c does not appear anywhere in the spellings of entire English Counting
93

Reading

Family Life
I dont care how poor a man is; if he has family, hes rich
A typical British family used to consist of mother, father and two children, but in recent
years there have been many changes in family life. For example, since the law made it easier to
get a divorce, the number of divorces has increased. In fact one marriage in every three now ends
in divorce. This means there are a lot of one-parent families. Society is now more tolerant than it
used to be of unmarried people, unmarried couples, single parents and even one-sex marriages.
You might think that marriage and the family are not so popular as they once were. However, the
majority of divorced people marry again, and they sometimes take responsibility for a second
family.
Members of a family grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins keep in touch, but they
see less of each other than they used to. As the saying goes Relations are like Christmas: they
should only come once a year. Christmas is the traditional season for reunions. Although the
family group is smaller nowadays, relatives often travel many miles in order to spend the holiday
together.
In general, each generation is keen to become independent of parents in establishing its
own family unit, and this fact often leads to social as well as geographical differences within the
larger family group. Relationships within the family are different now. Parents treat their
children more as equals, and children have more freedom to make their own decisions. The
father is more involved in bringing up children, often because the mother goes out to work.
Housing
An Englishmans home is his castle
Almost everybody in Britain dreams of living in a detached house; that is a house which
is a separate building. The saying, An Englishmans home is his castle, illustrates the desire for
privacy and the importance attached to ownership. A large detached house not only ensures
privacy. It is also a status symbol. At the extreme end of the scale there is the aristocratic stately
home set in acres of garden. Of course, such a house is an unrealistic dream for most people.
But even a small detached house, surrounded by a garden, gives the required suggestion of rural
life which is dear to the hearts of many British people.
Most people avoid living in blocks of flats. Flats, they feel, provide the least amount of
privacy. But in certain locations in central London, flats are the cheapest kind of home. The
people who live in them are those who cannot afford to live anywhere else.
94

British people have little deep-rooted attachment to their house as an object, or to the land
on which it stands. It is the abstract idea of home which is important, not the building. This will
be sold when the time and price is right and its occupiers will move into some other house which
they will then turn into home a home which they will love just as much as they did the
previous one.
Food and Drink
On the Continent people have good food; in England people have good table manners
Britain and good food are two things which are not commonly associated. Most visitors
to Britain seem to agree that the food in Britain is terrible. In fact, life and habits in Britain are
simply not oriented to food very much. The coffee is horrible not because British people prefer it
that way but because they just dont care very much.
The British usually have breakfast, elevenses, lunch, tea, supper, dinner. The one course
of a meal that the British have always been confident about and proud of is the pudding.
Tea made its first appearance in Britain some 350 years ago and by the end of the XVII
century tea-drinking was well established. In the XIX-century Britain the polite societys ritual
of afternoon tea was born. To this day, standard (black) tea served strong and with milk,
remains an indispensable aspect of most British households. However, it is in slow decline.
Not so long ago, going to a restaurant was a rare event for most British people. Regular
eating out was confined to the richest section of society. By now, a far larger number of people
do it. But because of this history, there remains an element of snobbery attached to it. Merely
being in an expensive restaurant sometimes seems to be more important to people than the food
eaten there. And in such restaurants you find a unique phenomenon many of the dishes have
non-English names, most commonly French. Walter Scott in his novel Ivanhoe writes:
Animals take the old English names when alive, but have a French name when killed and
prepared for the table: cow or ox becomes beef, sheep is mutton, and deer is venison.
The British pub is something very special and unique. This is not only because it is
different in character from bars or cafes in other countries. It is also because it is different from
any other public place in Britain itself. Without pubs, Britain would be a less sociable country.
The pub is the only indoor place where the average person can comfortably meet others, even
strangers, and get into prolonged conversation with them. People who go there are often known
as regulars. One of the notable aspects of pubs is that there is no waiter service. If you want
something, you have to go and ask for it at the bar. This makes people feel comfortable and
relaxed. This home from home aspect of the pub is encouraged by the relationship between
customers and those who work there. The latter are supposed to know the regulars personally,
to know what their usual drink is and to chat with them when they are not serving someone.
Buying and Selling
To open a shop is easy, to keep it open is an art
The British are not very adventurous shoppers. They like reliability and buy brand-name
goods wherever possible preferably with the price clearly marked. A very high proportion of
the countrys shops are branches of chain stores. Visitors from northern European countries are
sometimes surprised by the shabbiness of shop-window displays, even in prosperous areas. This
is not necessarily a sign of economic depression. It is just that the British do not demand art in
their shop-windows. On the positive side, visitors are sometimes struck by the variety of types of
shops. Most shops are chain stores, but among those that are not, there is much individuality.
The best known supermarket chains are Sainsburys and Tesco. Marks and Spencer often
referred to as just M&S is a department store with a large number of branches. The company
put its main emphasis on quality. M&S made their reputation in the XX century on a policy of
only selling British-made goods. The saying Whoever said money cant buy happiness simply
didnt know where to go shopping is just as good for M&S as the goods sold there.
Unlike many cities, where small specialty shops have gradually been replaced by large
department stores and supermarkets, Norwich still has a wide variety of shops. One of the most
unusual must be the Mustard Shop. As its name suggests, it sells nothing but mustard, and there
95

are as many different kinds as it is possible to imagine. It has a mustard museum, which
describes the history of Colmans mustard. The Colmans were a famous Norwich family who
started a mustard-making business over 150 years ago.
Education
The whole object of education is to develop the mind
England is famous for its educational institutes. It has some of the most famous
universities of the world like Oxford, Cambridge and London universities, as well as renowned
schools and colleges.
Oxford and Cambridge are two ancient universities founded in the medieval period. They
have many common features and are often jointly called Oxbridge. Admission to both Oxford
and Cambridge universities is very difficult. The examinations are very severe. But if a young
man or lady gets admission, gets through, gets his/her degree he/she is made for life. An
Oxford or Cambridge degree is accompanied by all sorts of privileges. Oxbridge is regarded in
England and in Britain as the sum of everything best in university life. The majority of prime
ministers and political leaders are Oxbridge graduates. And if it comes to getting a job, they
usually get the preference.
Eton College and Harrow School are both all-boy boarding schools. When the boys enter,
they are 13 years old, and they spend five years here before they graduate when they become 18
years old. Eton was established by King Henry VIII. Harrow started as an exclusive school for
boys in 1243, but moved to the present location during the period of Queen Elizabeth I.
Until recently, most of the prime ministers came from Eton or Harrow. These schools
used to teach their boys how to run the British Empire. These days, they are interested in
teaching them how to run the international corporations. This does not appear to be an easy
transition.
The concept of running an empire is outdated, but it seems to be difficult for Eton and
Harrow to shake off this ideology. Many people are still interested in sending their children to
one of these expensive schools where the competition rate is 20 to 1.
The Arts
It is the Arts that makes life, makes interest, and makes importance
The Arts is an umbrella term for literature, music, painting, sculpture, crafts, theatre,
opera, ballet, film etc.
Art, or fine arts, is often used to refer to those arts which use space, but not time, for their
appreciation such as painting and sculpture. Many people use the word culture as a synonym for
the arts. The word artist refers to a person working in any field of the arts.
Painting and sculpture in Britain have deep-rooted traditions. But nowadays there is a
general feeling that you have to be a specialist to appreciate them, especially if they are
contemporary. Small private art galleries, where people might look at paintings with a view to
buying them, are rare. Nevertheless, London is one of the main centres of the international
collectors world. The two major auction houses of Sothebys and Christies are world-famous.
Britains exciting capital city is home to many world-class museums and art galleries.
There are over 300 to choose from, ranging from traditional to high-tech. The majority of
government-funded museums stopped charging admission fees in 2001 and, although it was
challenged in 2007, this has remained the case. Following the removal of admission charges,
attendances at London museums increased. Fees are charged only when special exhibitions are
being held.
Britain is more famous for pop music than it is for classical composers or jazz musicians.
Many culturally significant musical artifacts have been unjustifiably forgotten and are being
restored by both professionals and volunteers. Whilst painting and sculpture are archived in a
gallery, literature in a library, music as part of British culture deserves to be preserved with equal
rights.

96

The Arts seem to be valued most when they involve general knowledge and national
heritage rather than for their purely aesthetic aspects. And this is a key to understanding the
British attitude to the Arts.
Sport
Many Continentals think life is a game; the English think cricket is a game
Whenever you strike up a conversation in Britain maybe at the barbers, in the street or
on the train journey, you inevitably get around to two subjects the weather and sport, which are
as much part of English life as roast beef and the Houses of Parliament. English people are fond
of all kinds of sports. England is a sports-loving nation. Sports in England take many forms:
organized competitive sports, which attract huge crowds to encourage their favourite team to
victory, athletic games played for recreation and others. The British are proud that many sports
originated in their country and then spread throughout the world. The national British sports are:
football, golf, cricket, table tennis, lawn tennis, racing and darts. The game peculiarly associated
with England is cricket. Cricket is an English game. Not many Scots, Irish or Welsh play it.
Many other games that are English in origin have been accepted with enthusiasm in other
countries; cricket has been seriously and extensively accepted only in the Commonwealth,
particularly in Australia, India, and Pakistan. Cricket is played in schools, colleges, universities.
The worlds most famous tennis tournament in Wimbledon started at a small club in
south London in the XIX century. It begins on the nearest Monday to 22 June, at a time when
England often has the finest weather. Millions of people watch the championships on TV live. It
is traditional for visitors to eat strawberries and cream whilst they watch the tennis.
Post-Reading
A

Decide whether these statements are false or true. Correct those which are false.
1. Since the law in Britain made it more difficult to get a divorce, the number of divorces
has increased.
2. Parents in Britain treat their children more as equals, however, children do not have more
freedom to make their own decisions.
3. A small detached house, surrounded by a garden, gives the suggestion of urban life.
4. Many people in Britain do not like living in blocks of flats.
5. Even today in many British families they prefer strong black tea served with milk.
6. The word regulars describes the British pubs.
7. In Norwich you can buy everything from books to bananas in the Mustard Shop.
8. Eton College was established by Queen Elizabeth I.
9. Normally you do not have to pay when you visit museums or art galleries in Britain.
10. Many Scots, Irish or Welsh play cricket.

B
Match the words or expressions in the left column with their definitions in the right
column.
1. be oriented to something
2. deep-rooted attachment
3. impose charges
4. replace
5. reunion
6. run

a. to organize or be in charge of an activity, business,

organization or country
b. the state of changing or using something new
c. a word whose meaning includes many different kinds of a
particular thing
d. to give a lot of attention to something
e. behaviour or attitudes which show that you think you are
better than other people
f. to remove something from its place and put a new thing
there
97

7. single parent
8. snobbery
9. transition
10. umbrella term

g. a mother or father who looks after their children on their

own, without a partner
h. to force somebody to pay for something
i. a meeting of people who have not met for a long time
j. a very strong feeling showing that you like somebody or
something

Use the word given in capitals to form a word that fits in the space.

1. Luckily, my parents were _____ of my choice of music. TOLERATE

2. The company was returned to private _____ in mid-2010. OWN
3. I went into the exam full of _____, but it was more difficult than I had expected. COFIDENT
4. We need a _____ person for this job, because it involves meeting a lot of people.
SOCIABILITY
5. Le Corbusier was the most _____ architect of modern times, always experimenting with new
forms and structures. ADVENTURE
6. There is some uncertainty about the _____ of the data used in this research. RELIABLE
7. The college has a very selective _____ policy. ADMIT
8. Poisoning the earths atmosphere is ecologically and morally _____. UNJUSTIFIABLY
9. The business is _____ owned and run by six TV companies. JOIN
10. The towns _____ facilities were totally inadequate until the new sport centre was built.
RECREATE
D
Find words and expressions in the Pre-Reading and Reading passages which have
the following definitions.
1. all the people in a society/family who are about the same age
2. to make certain that something will happen properly
3. something that is in or from the countryside
4. to give a special attention to something
5. the bad condition of clothes, books etc because they have been used for a long time
6. in order to get or achieve something
7. to get rid of something
8. to prepare somebody for something, providing them with the skills, training or experience that
they will need
9. a strong feeling of interest and enjoyment
10. to understand how good or useful something is
E

Use the correct form of the words in D to complete the given sentences.

1. Developing countries are often characterized by a widening gap between urban affluence and
_____ poverty.
2. Outside investment has helped Sheridan _____ its image as a depressed industrial town.
3. Im not an expert, but I _____ fine works of art.
4. People of my fathers _____ are not used to computers.
5. France originally joined the EC _____ becoming the communitys main supplier of
agricultural products.
6. Bradford college offers a whole range of courses for adults and _____ student-centred
learning.
7. It is important _____ that universities have enough funds to carry out important research.
8. She plays tennis with great _____, but not very well.
9. Sue tried to ignore the faded carpet and the _____ of the curtains.
10. School children should _____ the world of work.
98

Choose the right option to complete the sentences.

1. I met Timothy when I worked in London, and Ive kept in touch with/made contact of him
since then.
2. I was the youngest so I always got the least amount of/the little amount in pocket money.
3. Certain brand names are associating for/associated with high-quality both by shoppers and
buyers.
4. We can expect a further declining for/decline in employment vacancies.
5. Yuppie Flu is not just confined to/accepted by people in high-powered, well-paid jobs.
6. Burberrys has done an excellent reputation of/made an excellent reputation for topquality rainwear.
7. If it comes to/goes around social reforms, well be ready to support them.
8. Sheila was introduced to the bosss wife and she immediately shot away/struck up a
conversation with her.
9. Good communication is the keyword about/key to successful management.
10. They must get around to/sit down on practicing everything they have learnt during the
training.
Translate into English
1. , , 35
; 35 ,
.
2. Single Parent, - 60%
10 .
3. ,

.
4. ,
.
5. , ,
. 50
.
6. , 1929 ,
,
.
7. 10 180 2000 ,
.
8. ,
.
9. , ,
,
.
10.
.
Extra Exploration
A

Put the following statements in order to complete the text.

99

TV channels in Britain are generally free from government interference. They are also free from
commercial interference. For example, advertisers have no influence on programming.
1. so that specialist tastes can be catered for.
2. or that British TV is devoid of serious content.
3. because they need as many viewers as possible.
4. because these are currently the most popular types.
5. These days, numerous other channels are available,
6. while BBC TV needs them in order to justify the license fee.
7. The one thing the main channels are not free from is public taste,
8. The commercial channels need them in order to attract more advertisers,
9. This does not mean, however, that all TV programmes are of these types
10. Perhaps this is why British TV makes some of the best documentaries in the world.
11. Moreover, British viewers are accustomed to the idea of TV as a learning resource.
12. As a result, television is full of soaps, soap-style dramas, and so-called reality TV
programmes,
B

Complete the paragraph on the NHS in the XXI century with connectors.

It is the proud boast of the NHS (National Health Service) 1_____ it is free at the point
of treatment. 2_____ most British adults do now have to pay for dental care, eye care, and
medicines, the boast is still largely justified in that, 3_____ a patient pays a visit to the doctor or
a hospital, no money changes hands. 4_____, the NHS in the XXI century faces problems
5_____, ironically, have been caused by advances in medical science. There now exist
treatments for many conditions 6_____ previously were fatal. 7_____ these treatments are very
expensive and the British taxpayer is not willing to pay for them. As a result, they are often
available only to those who pay for them privately.
C

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

I. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is one of the most popular TV game shows in the
world. Have you ever fancied that its possible to cheat at the show? But before finding the
answer to this question, try the Millionaire vocabulary quiz below.
1. If you are dishonest when you play a game or do an exam, then what are you doing?
a. stealing
b. cheating
c. drawing
d. joking
100
2. If you make a noise with your throat, what is it called?
a. cough
b. sneeze
c. snore
d. sniff
1000
3. If something is of poor quality, what is it?
a. dirty
b. naughty
c. shabby
d. excellent 10,000
4. If you think of a good plan, then what do you do?
a. come up to a plan
c. come down to a plan
b. come down with a plan
d. come up with a plan
100,000
5. If a dream holiday goes wrong, then it turns _____.
a. rough
b. sour
c. over
d. stiff
500,000
6. If you are completely in love with something, then what are you?
a. besotted
b. betrothed
c. berated
d. betrayed 1 million
II. Read the article Guilty: trio who tried to cheat their way to 1m. Fill in the gaps with
the correct forms of the answers to the Millionaire vocabulary quiz.
An army major, his wife and a college lecturer were found guilty this week of attempting
1_____ on the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Major Charles Ingram and his wife,
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Diana, both 39, were convicted along with a college lecturer, Mr. Whittock, 53, after the three
2_____ a scheme to defraud the quiz show of 1m. As the army officer was in the hot seat on the
show, the lecturer, who sat one meter behind him, 3_____ to steer him towards the right answers.
The majors wife was the point of contact between the two. The major was given a cheque for
1m, but it was stopped after the programme makers became suspicious and contacted the
police. The three were spared prison because the Ingrams have young children. However, the
Ingrams were ordered to pay 10,000 in costs. Whittock, head of business studies department at
an education college in Wales, was ordered to pay 7000 in costs. Judge Geoffrey Rivlin said:
Im not at all sure it was sheer greed that motivated this offence. Im sure that all three of you
4_____ with quiz programmes, and ambitious to be successful on a major TV show. It was this
that caused you to wonder whether you could cheat the system. What the judge described as
5_____ schoolboy trick of coughing to mark the right answers was more successful than they
could have hoped for. But their win turned 6_____ when they realized they had gone too far. The
army has launched an inquiry into whether the major can continue to serve.
D

Complete the text with words related to education given in the box.

National Curriculum
state schools
compulsory

A-level exams
secondary school
school

high school
university

education
primary school

British children are required by law to have an education until they are 16 years old.
1__________ is compulsory, but 2__________ is not, children are not required to attend school.
They could be educated at home.
Full-time education is 3__________ for all children aged between 5 and 16. This can be
provided by 4__________, independent schools or homeschooling. All government-run schools,
state schools, follow the same 5__________. The school year runs from September to July and is
39 weeks long. The main school holidays are: Christmas 2 weeks, Spring 2 weeks and
Summer 6 weeks.
Children normally start 6__________ at the age of 4 or 5 and leave at the age of 11,
moving to 7__________ or as otherwise called high school. At the age of 16, students take an
exam called GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). After completing the GCSE,
some students leave school, others go to technical college, whilst others continue at
8__________ for two more years and take 9__________. These exams determine whether a
student is eligible for 10__________.
Food for Thought and Talk
1. Comment on the sayings: Having money makes sense and having sense makes money
and It is the Arts that makes life, makes interest, and makes importance.
2. The history of British painting is intimately linked with the broader traditions of
European painting. English artists have been developing their own styles in marine and
allegorical painting, history and landscape painting since the early XVIII century. Among
profoundly influential English painters of XVIII-XIX centuries the names of William
Hogarth, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Richard Wilson, Thomas Gainsborough, John Constable
and J.M.W. Turner are notable. Make a presentation of English painters and their works,
or report on British contemporary art.
3. English Literature is an indispensable part of World Literature. Organize a presentation
of your favourite English writers and their world-famous masterpieces.
Food for Writing

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Writing techniques
A news report describes a particular event or topic which is of interest to the public. It is always
written in a formal impersonal style and gives accurate facts only, not chatty descriptions. A
good news report should consist of:
a. a short eye-catching headline which introduces the subject of the report;
b. an introduction which summarizes the event giving information about the time, place and the
people involved;
c. a main body consisting of two or more paragraphs in which the event is developed in detail.
Information about the cause(s) and result(s) of the incident should also be included;
d. a conclusion in which action to be taken or peoples comments on the event are given.
Such pieces of writing can be found in newspapers, magazines and newsletters.
Points to consider:
a. give all necessary information accurately and in detail;
b. do not write about your feelings or your point of view concerning the incidents;
c. use passive voice and direct/reported speech to include peoples comments and make the news
report more interesting.
Linking words
Reference
To conclude

regarding; concerning; with respect/regard/reference to; in regard/reference to

Finally; Lastly; Above all; All in all; Taking everything into account; On the
whole; All things considered; In conclusion; As I have said; As was previously
stated; To sum up

A
Search the Internet to find more about holidays and celebrations in the UK. Let
each student choose a particular holiday and write a news report to be presented in class.
Finally, make a joint effort to match 1 15 with a o.
1. Boxing Day
2. Bank holiday weekends
3. Christmas stockings
4. Easter
5. April the first
6. Good Friday
7. Gretna Green
8. Guy Fawkes
9. Halloween
10. New Year
11. Pantomime
12. Remembrance Sunday
13. Shrove Tuesday

a. Auld Lang Syne

b. eggs
c. hot cross buns
d. marriage
e. fireworks
f. pancakes
g. poppies
h. principal boy
i. Santa Claus
j. traffic jams
k. jokes
l. trick or treat
m. exchange of presents

B
Artistic and cultural activity in Britain ranges from the highest professional
standards to a wide variety of amateur involvement. Search the Internet to make a written
report on drama, music, opera, dance etc. Some suggested topics may include:
Edinburgh International Festival
Notting Hill Carnival
Royal National Eisteddfod
Turner Prize Exhibition
The Proms
102

Snap before Nap

Dutch in English
There are a host of phrases in English that include the word Dutch; thats hardly
surprising as the Netherlands is just a few miles across the sea from England. There arent as
many expressions that include French, so why the interest in Dutch? Two reasons trade and
war.
Both England and Holland (which is what most people call the Netherlands), have a
vigorous and wide-ranging maritime trading tradition that dates back to the XVI century.
England imported many commodities from Holland and gave them Dutch names. The first of
these imports was Dutch sauce (now called Hollandaise), first referred to in 1573 an
emulsion of lemon juice, butter and egg yolk. Many other examples followed:
Dutch cheese
Dutch clock
Dutch feast
Dutch uncle

hard cheese made from skim milk

a cuckoo clock (a clock with a wooden bird inside that comes out every
hour and makes a sound)
a large meal where the host gets drunk first
a person who gives firm and fatherly advice

The Anglo-Dutch wars of the XVII and XVIII centuries were acrimonious even by the
usual standards of war. Following the conflicts the English came to hold the Dutch in very low
regard and as a consequence there are numerous English phrases which portray them in an
unflattering light. The common feature in all of these Dutch expressions is that Dutch is the
opposite of what it ought to be. Examples of these expressions are:
Dutch auction
Dutch bargain
Dutch comfort
Dutch concert
Dutch courage
Dutch treat
Double Dutch
to do the Dutch act
Flying Dutchman
Im a Dutchman if

a public sale at which the price of something is gradually reduced until

someone will pay it
a bargain made when someone is drunk
cold comfort, only good because things could have been worse
a so-called concert in which all the singers sing different songs at the
same time
courage or confidence that you get when you drink alcohol
each person pays for their own expenses
nonsense
to flee
a legendary ghost ship that can never make port, doomed to sail the
oceans forever
used to show that you dont believe something

Hidden Rules of English Behaviour

Render in English an extract from Watching the English by Kate Fox.

.
, -
. ,
: , ,
(regular) ,
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(counter), , , ,
.
, , ,
. ,
, (exaggeration),
(compatriots) ,
. ,
(loiter about) , ,
, ,
. . ,
.
,
(in disorder) . :
(contradict) , ,
, , ,
. , : ,
, , ,
,
. , (consider)
. ,
. , (confirm)
.

.
,
, , .
, :
, .
. ,
(eloquent) .
c , ,

(tap a coin) , (snap ones fingers) (wave)
.
,
. (swing)
.
,
, .
, ,
(be on the look-out) (take ones eyes off sb)
. ,
, , .
, , , .
: , , .

, , .

104

Sources
Browning J. Snapshots of Britain. Deutcher Taschenbuch Verlag, 2006.
Evans V. Successful Writing. Athens: Express Publishing, 1997.
Garwood C., Gardani G., Peris E. Aspects of Britain and the USA. OUP, 2007.
Hovhannisyan G.V., Karapetyan M.R., Babayan A.M., Ghalachyan A.S. My Topic
Encyclopedia. Yerevan: Edit Print, 2006.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. Pearson Education Ltd, 2009.
Longman Language Activator: The Worlds First Production Dictionary. Longman Group UK
Ltd, 1997.
New English-Russian Dictionary. Moscow: Russky Yazyk Publishers, 1999.
ODriscoll J. Britain. The Country and Its People: An Introduction for Learners of English.
OUP, 1995.
ODriscoll J. Britain. The Country and Its People: An Introduction for Learners of English.
OUP, Second edition, 2009.
Sheerin S., Seath J., White G. Spotlight on Britain. OUP, Second edition, 2007.
The United Kingdom: 100 Questions Answered. London: Foreign and Commonwealth Office,
2003.
: . : Russky Yazyk, 1978.
. . : , 2008.
In addition to these sources, more than 100 websites were researched.

105